biostudies-literatureDominguez D JFVeski Fellowship63https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9819794biostudies-literatureUnknown20(1)Assault is the leading preventable cause of death, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and associated mental health problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on patterns of interpersonal violence across the world. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we analysed medical records of 1232 assault victims (domestic violence: 111, random assault: 900, prison assault: 221) with head injuries who presented to the emergency department (ED) at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, a city with one of the longest and most severe COVID-19 restrictions worldwide. We examined changes in prevalence in the assault group overall and in domestic violence, random assault, and prison assault victims, comparing data from 19.5 months before and after the first day of COVID-19 restrictInternational journal of environmental research and public healthEffects of the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Assault-Related Head Injury in Melbourne: A Retrospective Study.PMC9819794Victorian Near-miss Award PilotSatyen LAkhlaghi HRushworth NTruong JStella JCaeyenberghs KDominguez D JFBurnett JfalseEffects of the Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic on Assault-Related Head Injury in Melbourne: A Retrospective Study.Assault is the leading preventable cause of death, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and associated mental health problems. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on patterns of interpersonal violence across the world. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, we analysed medical records of 1232 assault victims (domestic violence: 111, random assault: 900, prison assault: 221) with head injuries who presented to the emergency department (ED) at St Vincent's Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, a city with one of the longest and most severe COVID-19 restrictions worldwide. We examined changes in prevalence in the assault group overall and in domestic violence, random assault, and prison assault victims, comparing data from 19.5 months before and after the first day of COVID-19 restrict2022-01-01T00:00:00Z2022 Dec2025-04-04T20:33:15.108Z2025-04-04T20:33:15.108ZS-EPMC98197943661238310.3390/ijerph20010063