Abstract
The frequency of visits to Emergency Departments (ED) varies greatly between populations. This may reflect variation in patient behaviour, need, accessibility, and service configuration as well as the complex interactions between these factors. This study investigates the relationship between distance, socio-economic deprivation, and proximity to an alternative care setting (a Minor Injuries Unit (MIU)), with particular attention to the interaction between distance and deprivation. It is set in a population of approximately 5.4 million living in central England, which is highly heterogeneous in terms of ethnicity, socio-economics, and distance to hospital. The study data set captured 1,413,363 ED visits made by residents of the region to National Health Service (NHS) hospitals during the financial year 2007/8. Our units of analysis were small units of census geography having an average population of 1,545. Separate regression models were made for children and adults. For each additional kilometre of distance from a hospital, predicted child attendances fell by 2.2% (1.7%–2.6% p<0.001) and predicted adult attendances fell by 1.5% (1.2% –1.8%, p<0.001). Compared to the least deprived quintile, attendances in the most deprived quintile more than doubled for children (incident rate ratio (IRR) = 2.19, (1.90–2.54, p<0.001)) and adults (IRR 2.26, (2.01–2.55, p<0.001)). Proximity of an MIU was significant and both adult and child attendances were greater in populations who lived further away from them, suggesting that MIUs may reduce ED demand. The interaction between distance and deprivation was significant. Attendance in deprived neighbourhoods reduces with distance to a greater degree than in less deprived ones for both adults and children. In conclusion, ED use is related to both deprivation and distance, but the effect of distance is modified by deprivation.
Highlights
Presentation at Emergency Departments (EDs) whether by self referral or directed by other services, is an important route into acute hospital care.The manner in which people interact with healthcare services, EDs, has been shown to be strongly influenced by proximity in England [1], [2], [3], Scotland [4], Northern Ireland [5], Canada [6], the US [7], [8] and Sweden [9]
The ability of EDs to process patients quickly is seen as an indicator of performance, in England where specific targets relating to ED waiting times have been centrally set by Government [13]
Characteristics of study subjects There were a total of 1,413,363 attendances to type 1 EDs which were attributable to residents of the West Midlands
Summary
Background Presentation at Emergency Departments (EDs) whether by self referral or directed by other services, is an important route into acute hospital care.The manner in which people interact with healthcare services, EDs, has been shown to be strongly influenced by proximity in England [1], [2], [3], Scotland [4], Northern Ireland [5], Canada [6], the US [7], [8] and Sweden [9]. In financial year 2008/09, the National Health Service estimated the cost of attendances at English EDs at over £1.3 billion [11]. The ability of EDs to process patients quickly is seen as an indicator of performance, in England where specific targets relating to ED waiting times have been centrally set by Government [13]. For these reasons it is important that those who plan, fund or manage EDs understand the factors that affect the demand for this service
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