How much emergency department use by vulnerable populations is potentially preventable?: A period prevalence study of linked public hospital data in South Australia.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To quantify emergency department (ED) presentations by individuals within vulnerable populations compared with other adults and the extent to which these are potentially preventable.

Design

Period prevalence study from 2005-2006 to 2010-2011.

Setting

Person-linked, ED administrative records for public hospitals in South Australia.

Participants

Adults aged 20 or more in South Australia's metropolitan area presenting to ED and categorised as Refugee and Asylum Seeker Countries of birth (RASC); Aboriginal; those aged 75 years or more; or All others.

Main outcome measures

Unadjusted rates of ambulatory care sensitive condition (ACSC), general practitioner (GP)-type presentations and associated direct ED costs among mutually exclusive groups of ind

SUBMITTER: Banham D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6340627 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature