Behavioural drivers influencing emergency department attendance in Victoria during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods investigation.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To identify behavioural drivers and barriers that may have contributed to changes in ED attendance during the first 10 months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in Victoria.

Methods

We conducted a mixed methods analysis of patients who attended one of eight participating EDs between 1 November 2019 and 31 December 2020. A random sample of patients were chosen after their visit and invited to participate in an online survey assessing behavioural drivers and barriers to attendance. The study timespan was divided into four periods based on local and world events to assess changes in attitudes and behaviours over this period.

Results

A total of 5600 patients were invited to complete the survey and 606 (11%) submitted sufficient information for a

SUBMITTER: Buntine P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9111119 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature