[Analysis of health and socioeconomic factors influencing the progressive increase in frequentation of hospital emergency services]
Sanchez Medina JA, Alarcon Rubio D, Murillo Cabezas F, Perez Torres I
Record ID 32011000625
Spanish
Authors' objectives:
To determine the frequentation patterns of the users and to identify the factors which condition that behaviour.
Authors' recommendations:
It is possible to define different typologies of users of the hospital services in particular, and of the health system in general, based on the use made of the HES and on the knowledge shown about the PCS, which can be of great interest when planning policies destined to optimize the use of the HES.The elevated rates of frequentation of the HES do not reduce the use of the PCS, that is to say, the users with high frequentation of the HES are also great frequenters of the PCS.The frequent users are usually older people, retired or close to retirement, mainly women (this data is possibly associated with the greater life expectancy among this group), they have a low level of studies and are mainly Spanish nationals. In addition, their visits to either the HES or the PCS are often due to the same health problems that are persistent overtime.The users with a very sporadic and precise use of the HES are young, students and with above average levels of studies.
The immigrant population attend the HES and the PCS in a very infrequent manner, and they normally do so for very specific and particular problems.It is not possible to relate the high frequentation of the HES to insufficient information on the operation of the PCS. In fact, the users with low frequentation show less knowledge of the health system.The reasons why users go to the HES, are, in descending weighted order: (1) the high opinion on the part of the users regarding the quality of the HES, which is linked to high levels of confidence in the diagnoses and treatments given; (2) the ease with which the user can access the resources of specialised medicine in the HES; (3) a care need perceived by the users; and, finally, (4), the factor with the least weight of those identified, the ease of use of the system.The HES are perceived by the users as services of high quality and efficiency in the treatment of their health problems, which seems to act as an attracting factor.A small, although significant, percentage of users systematically access the HES in search of a type of care that could possibly be provided in another type of service.
Details
Project Status:
Completed
Year Published:
2011
URL for published report:
https://www.aetsa.org/download/publicaciones/antiguas/AETSA_2007-20_factores_Urgencias.pdf
English language abstract:
An English language summary is available
Publication Type:
Not Assigned
Country:
Spain
MeSH Terms
- Emergency Medical Services
- Emergency Service, Hospital
- Socioeconomic Factors
Contact
Organisation Name:
Andalusian Health Technology Assessment Area
Contact Address:
Area de Evaluacion de Tecnologias Sanitarias Sanitarias de Andalucia (AETSA) Avda. Innovación, s/n Edificio Arena 1. Sevilla (Spain) Tel. +34 955 006 309
Contact Name:
aetsa.csalud@juntadeandalucia.es
Contact Email:
aetsa.csalud@juntadeandalucia.es
Copyright:
Andalusian Agency for Health Technology Assessment (AETSA)
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.