Exploring factors that influence adult presentation to an emergency department in regional Queensland: a linked, cross‐sectional, patient perspective study
O'Loughlin, Mary, Harriss, Linton, Thompson, Fintan, McDermott, Robyn, and Mills, Jane (2019) Exploring factors that influence adult presentation to an emergency department in regional Queensland: a linked, cross‐sectional, patient perspective study. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 31 (3). pp. 67-75.
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Abstract
Objective: Explore factors that influence presentation at a regional hospital ED and identify opportunities to reduce attendance, particularly for adults with chronic conditions.
Methods: Cross‐sectional survey of ED attenders, for 1 month period (March to April 2014), with linkage of survey data to administrative data sets.
Results: A total of 1000 adults completed the survey of which 549 (54.9%) self‐identified as living with a chronic condition. Over half (n = 572, 57.2%) had their presenting problem for less than 24 h prior to attending the ED and 56.8% (n = 568) attended the ED outside working hours. Most ED presentations were recorded in the administrative data set as self‐referred (n = 933, 93.3%); however, 29% (n = 290) of survey participants reported being referred to the ED by a medical practitioner. The majority of adults had a regular general practice (n = 863, 86.3%) with 30% (n = 258) visiting their practice in the week prior to presentation at the ED. Awareness of services such as the 13‐Health telephone advice line was generally low (n = 370, 37%) and most did not consider alternative health services as suitable for their care. High‐quality care, co‐location of diagnostic services and extended hours of service were important to patients.
Conclusion: Despite being connected to a general practice, people focussed their health‐seeking behaviour on the ED in the immediate period prior to presentation. Patients reported a limited awareness of alternative health services and opportunities exist to potentially reduce ED attendance, particularly for young and middle‐aged adults with chronic conditions.
| Item ID: | 55849 |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Article (Research - C1) |
| ISSN: | 1742-6723 |
| Keywords: | attitude to health, chronic disease, health services research, primary health care, quality of health care |
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| Copyright Information: | Copyright © 2018 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine. OA -Accepted (peer-reviewed) Version: The accepted version of an article is the version that incorporates all amendments made during the peer review process, but prior to the final published version. Self-archiving of the accepted version is subject to an embargo period of 12-24 months. The standard embargo period is 12 months for scientific, technical, medical, and psychology (STM) journals and 24 months for social science and humanities (SSH) journals following publication of the final article. |
| Additional Information: | Emergency Medicine Australasia publishes peer-reviewed articles, reports, reviews and opinions on the research and clinical practice of emergency care. |
| Funders: | Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service, Queensland (CHHHS), Far North Queensland Medicare Local, Australian Government's Research Training Program Scholarship, James Cook University (JCU), Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine (AITHM) |
| Date Deposited: | 29 Oct 2018 02:27 |
| FoR Codes: | 42 HEALTH SCIENCES > 4202 Epidemiology > 420299 Epidemiology not elsewhere classified @ 100% |
| SEO Codes: | 92 HEALTH > 9204 Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) > 920499 Public Health (excl. Specific Population Health) not elsewhere classified @ 100% |
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