Sigita Burokien?|Juozas Raistenskis|Emilija Burokait?|Rimant? ?erkauskien?|Vytautas Usonis
Factors Determining Parents’ Decisions to Bring Their Children to the Pediatric Emergency Department for a Minor Illness
Vilnius University|Vilnius University|Vilnius University|Vilnius University|Vilnius University
background number children visiting emergency departments eds increasing lithuania therefore aim study determine factors influencing parental decision bring child ed minor illness could managed primary healthcare setting compare parents medical professionals attitudes toward childs health status need urgent care material methods prospective observational study performed tertiarylevel teaching childrens hospital vilnius total 381 patients parents interviewed using original questionnaire based andersens behavioral model healthcare utilization addition medical records patients reviewed identify factors might impact parental decisions bring child ed minor health problem study participants enrolled october 1 2013 august 31 2014 urgency medical care needed provided patients evaluated tertiarylevel triage system results based assessment triage nurses need emergency care patients distributed follows 298 patients 782 needed nonurgent care 83 patients 218 needed urgent care onethird 388 parents reported came ed due childs urgent care need worsened childs health however opinion ed professionals indicated fifth patients required urgent care parents brought children ed without physician referral five times likely visit ed evening hours weekends or5416 95 ci 3259899 p0001 decision come ed without visiting primary care physician made often parents higher income or2153 95 ci 1167397 came due children rash or4303 95 ci 108916995 fever or3463 95 ci 10111876 older parents 207 95 ci 112243506 times likely evaluate childs health unfavorably younger parents conclusions identified predisposing enabling need factors influenced parents decision bring child ed minor health problems could managed primary care physician parents assessed childs condition critically thought child required urgent medical aid frequently healthcare professionals