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Influence of awaren...
Influence of awareness and availability of medical alternatives on parents seeking paediatric emergency care
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- Ellbrant, Julia A. (author)
- Skåne University Hospital
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- Åkeson, S. Jonas (author)
- Skåne University Hospital
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- Karlsland Åkeson, Pia M. (author)
- Lund University,Lunds universitet,Preventiv pediatrik,Forskargrupper vid Lunds universitet,Preventive Paediatrics,Lund University Research Groups
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(creator_code:org_t)
- 2017-10-10
- 2018
- English.
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Public Health. - : SAGE Publications. - 1403-4948 .- 1651-1905. ; 46:4, s. 456-462
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http://dx.doi.org/10...
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Abstract
Subject headings
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- Aims: Direct seeking of care at paediatric emergency departments may result from an inadequate awareness or a short supply of medical alternatives. We therefore evaluated the care-seeking patterns, availability of medical options and initial medical assessments – with overall reference to socioeconomic status – of parents at an urban paediatric emergency department in a Scandinavian country providing free paediatric healthcare. Methods: The parents of children assessed by paediatric emergency department physicians at a Swedish university hospital over a 25-day winter period completed a questionnaire on recent medical contacts and their reasons for attendance. Additional information was obtained from ledgers, patient records and population demographics. Results: In total, 657 of 713 eligible patients (92%) were included. Seventy-nine per cent of their parents either failed to or managed to establish medical contact before the emergency department visit, whereas 21% sought care with no attempt at recent medical contact. Visits with a failed telephone or primary care contact (18%) were more common outside office hours (p=0.014) and were scored as less urgent (p=0.014). A perceived emergency was the main reason for no attempt at medical contact before the visit. Direct emergency department care-seeking was more common from the city district with the lowest socioeconomic status (p=0.027). Conclusions: Although most parents in this Swedish study tried to seek medical advice before attending a paediatric emergency department, perceived emergency, a short supply of telephone health line or primary care facilities and lower socioeconomic status contributed to direct care-seeking by almost 40% of parents. Pre-hospital awareness and the availability of medical alternatives with an emphasis on major differences in socioeconomic status should therefore be considered to further optimize care-seeking in paediatric emergency departments.
Subject headings
- MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP -- Hälsovetenskap -- Hälso- och sjukvårdsorganisation, hälsopolitik och hälsoekonomi (hsv//swe)
- MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES -- Health Sciences -- Health Care Service and Management, Health Policy and Services and Health Economy (hsv//eng)
Keyword
- Children
- emergency department
- paediatrics
- primary care
- seeking behaviour
- socioeconomic status
- telephone health line
- urgency
Publication and Content Type
- art (subject category)
- ref (subject category)
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