Spatial Accessibility to Emergency Departments and Surgical Treatment for Patients with Acute Appendicitis in South Korea.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

Recent concerns regarding the delivery of surgical services in South Korea emphasize the need for close monitoring of spatial access to surgical care in patients with acute appendicitis at the regional level.

Materials and methods

This study included emergency department (ED) visits with acute appendicitis and subsequent appendectomies from the National Emergency Department Information System database (2015-2021). Travel distances to the hospital were measured, and the proportion of patients admitted to regional hospitals was visualized on a geographic map. Factors related to complicated appendicitis were analyzed using logistic regression.

Results

Among 207344 patients who visited the EDs, those from areas with low population density had higher proportions of

SUBMITTER: Kim K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12568444 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature