OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to extract, analyze, and compare data from online newspaper articles on ambulance accidents for Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. We hope to highlight future strategies to offset the deficit in research data and official registers for prevention of ambulance and emergency vehicle accidents.
METHODS: Ambulance accident data were collected from Austrian, German, and Swiss free web-based daily newspapers, as listed in Wikipedia, for the period between January 2014 and January 2019. All included newspapers were searched for articles reporting ambulance accidents using German terms representing \"ambulance\" and \"ambulance accident.\" Characteristics of the accidents were compiled and analyzed. Only ground ambulance accidents were covered.
RESULTS: In Germany, a total of 597 ambulance accidents were recorded, corresponding to 0.719 (95% CI 0.663-0.779) per 100,000 inhabitants; 453 of these accidents left 1170 people injured, corresponding to 1.409 (95% CI 1.330-1.492) per 100,000 inhabitants, and 28 of these accidents caused 31 fatalities, corresponding to 0.037 (95% CI 0.025-0.053) per 100,000 inhabitants. In Austria, a total of 62 ambulance accidents were recorded, corresponding to 0.698 (95% CI 0.535-0.894) per 100,000 inhabitants; 47 of these accidents left 115 people injured, corresponding to 1.294 (95% CI 1.068-1.553) per 100,000 inhabitants, and 6 of these accidents caused 7 fatalities, corresponding to 0.079 (95% CI 0.032-0.162) per 100,000 inhabitants. In Switzerland, a total of 25 ambulance accidents were recorded, corresponding to 0.293 (95% CI 0.189-0.432) per 100,000 inhabitants; 11 of these accidents left 18 people injured, corresponding to 0.211(95% CI 0.113-0.308) per 100,000 inhabitants. There were no fatalities. In each of the three countries, the majority of the accidents involved another car (77%-81%). In Germany and Switzerland, most accidents occurred at an intersection. In Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, 38.7%, 26%, and 4%, respectively, of ambulance accidents occurred at intersections for which the ambulance had a red light (P<.001). In all three countries, most of the casualties were staff and not uncommonly a third party. Most accidents took place on weekdays and during the daytime. Ambulance accidents were evenly distributed across the four seasons. The direction of travel was reported in 28%-37% of the accidents and the patient was in the ambulance approximately 50% of the time in all countries. The cause of the ambulance accidents was reported to be the ambulance itself in 125 (48.1% of accidents where the cause was reported), 22 (42%), and 8 (40%) accidents in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, respectively (P=.02), and another vehicle in 118 (45.4%), 29 (56%), and 9 (45%) accidents, respectively (P<.001). A total of 292 accidents occurred while blue lights and sirens were used, which caused 3 deaths and 577 injuries.
CONCLUSIONS: This study draws attention to much needed auxiliary sources of data that may allow for creation of a contemporary registry of all ambulance accidents in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland. To improve risk management and set European standards, it should be mandatory to collect standardized goal-directed and representative information using various sources (including the wide range presented by the press and social media), which should then be made available for audit, analysis, and research.
目的:本研究的目的是提取,分析,并比较来自奥地利救护车事故的在线报纸文章的数据,德国,和瑞士。我们希望强调未来的战略,以弥补预防救护车和紧急车辆事故的研究数据和官方登记册的不足。
方法:救护车事故数据来自奥地利,德语,和瑞士免费的网络日报,如维基百科所列,2014年1月至2019年1月期间。搜索了所有包含的报纸,以使用代表“救护车”和“救护车事故”的德语术语报道救护车事故的文章。“对事故的特点进行了汇编和分析。仅涵盖了地面救护车事故。
结果:在德国,总共记录了597起救护车事故,相当于每10万居民0.719(95%CI0.663-0.779);其中453起事故造成1170人受伤,对应于每100,000居民1.409(95%CI1.330-1.492),其中28起事故造成31人死亡,对应于每100,000居民0.037(95%CI0.025-0.053)。在奥地利,总共记录了62起救护车事故,相当于每10万居民0.698(95%CI0.535-0.894);其中47起事故造成115人受伤,对应于每100,000居民1.294(95%CI1.068-1.553),其中6起事故造成7人死亡,对应于每100,000居民0.079(95%CI0.032-0.162)。在瑞士,总共记录了25起救护车事故,相当于每10万居民0.293(95%CI0.189-0.432);其中11起事故造成18人受伤,对应于每100,000居民0.211(95%CI0.113-0.308)。没有死亡。在这三个国家中,大多数事故涉及另一辆车(77%-81%)。在德国和瑞士,大多数事故发生在十字路口。在德国,奥地利,瑞士,38.7%,26%,4%,分别,救护车事故发生在救护车红灯的十字路口(P<.001)。在这三个国家,大多数伤亡人员是工作人员,并不常见的是第三方。大多数事故发生在工作日和白天。救护车事故在四个季节中分布均匀。在所有国家中,有28%-37%的事故报告了行驶方向,并且大约50%的时间患者在救护车上。据报告,救护车事故的原因是125年的救护车本身(报告原因的事故占48.1%),22(42%),德国发生8起(40%)事故,奥地利,瑞士,分别(P=0.02),和另一辆车在118(45.4%),29(56%),和9起(45%)事故,分别(P<.001)。在使用蓝灯和警报器时,共发生了292起事故,造成3人死亡和577人受伤。
结论:这项研究提请注意急需的辅助数据来源,这些数据可能允许创建奥地利所有救护车事故的当代注册表,德国,和瑞士。为了改善风险管理并制定欧洲标准,应该强制使用各种来源(包括新闻界和社交媒体提供的广泛来源)收集标准化的目标导向和代表性信息,然后应该提供给审计,分析,和研究。