Background and purpose: The incidence of electric scooter (e-scooter) injuries has increased drastically in numerous countries after widespread availability of shared e-scooters. Most publications on e-scooter injuries focus on a specific category of injuries. The economic impact on society from a broader perspective has not been studied. Patients and methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study including all e-scooter-related injuries presented in the three adult emergency departments in Helsinki in 2021. We collected the patient data from the university hospital information system. Injury severity was evaluated based on the abbreviated injury score. Cost of the hospital treatment was analyzed based on our hospital district's service price listing. In addition, we recorded the total amount of sick leave days and estimated their economic impact. Results: In total, 446 e-scooter injuries were identified and taken into the analysis (434 affecting riders and 12 non-riders). The median age of the patients was 26 (IQR 22-33) and 59 % were male. 257 (58 %) of the of the injuries were minor, whereas 155 (35 %) were moderate, 30 (7 %) serious, 3 (0.7 %) severe, and one (0.2 %) critical. Furthermore, 220 (49 %) of the patients sustained head injuries. A major spike in accident incidence was seen during weekend (Friday to Sunday) nights, which was accompanied by a proportional increase in patients with alcohol intoxication. Including both the costs of the hospital care and absence from work, the approximated total cost of e-scooter injuries was 1.7 million euros, with a median cost of a single accident being 1148 euros (IQR 399-4263). Interpretation: Comprehensive preventive measures must be conducted to decrease the incidence of e-scooter injuries. The usage of helmets should be strongly encouraged in order to prevent severe head injuries. The night-time bans during weekends and speed-limits on e-scooters appear to be justifiable.

中文翻译：

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赫尔辛基电动滑板车受伤的特征和成本：一项回顾性队列研究

背景和目的：在共享电动滑板车广泛普及后，许多国家的电动滑板车（e-scooter）受伤的发生率急剧增加。大多数关于电动滑板车伤害的出版物都关注特定类别的伤害。尚未从更广泛的角度研究对社会的经济影响。患者和方法：我们进行了一项回顾性队列研究，包括 2021 年赫尔辛基三个成人急诊科出现的所有与电动滑板车相关的伤害。我们从大学医院信息系统收集了患者数据。损伤严重程度是根据简化的损伤评分来评估的。根据我院区服务价格表对住院治疗费用进行分析。此外，我们记录了病假的总天数并估计了它们的经济影响。结果：总共确定了 446 起电动滑板车受伤并纳入分析（434 名影响骑手和 12 名非骑手）。患者的中位年龄为 26 岁（IQR 22-33），59% 为男性。257 人（58%）的伤害是轻微的，而 155 人（35%）是中度的，30 人（7%）是严重的，3 人（0.7%）是严重的，还有 1 人（0.2%）是严重的。此外，220 名（49%）患者头部受伤。周末（周五至周日）晚上的事故发生率大幅上升，伴随着酒精中毒患者的比例增加。包括医院护理和缺勤的费用，电动滑板车受伤的总费用约为 170 万欧元，单次事故的平均成本为 1148 欧元 (IQR 399-4263)。解读：必须采取综合预防措施，降低电动滑板车受伤的发生率。应大力鼓励使用头盔，以防止头部严重受伤。周末的夜间禁令和电动滑板车的限速似乎是合理的。