Andrea K. Morrison|Marilyn M. Schapira|Marc H. Gorelick|Raymond G. Hoffmann|David C. Brousseau
Low Caregiver Health Literacy Is Associated With Higher Pediatric Emergency Department Use and Nonurgent Visits
Medical College of Wisconsin|University of Pennsylvania|Medical College of Wisconsin|Children's Hospital of Wisconsin|Medical College of Wisconsin|Medical College of Wisconsin
objective sought determine association low caregiver health literacy child emergency department ed use number urgency ed visits methods year long crosssectional study utilized newest vital sign questionnaire measure health literacy caregivers accompanying children pediatric ed prior ed visits extracted regional database ed visit urgency classified resources utilized index ed visit regression analyses used model 2 outcomesprior ed visits ed visit urgencystratified chronic illness analyses weighted triage level results overall 503 caregivers completed study 55 demonstrated low health literacy children caregivers low health literacy prior ed visits adjusted incidence rate ratio 15 95 confidence interval 12 18 increased odds nonurgent index ed visit adjusted odds ratio 24 95 confidence interval 13 44 among children without chronic illness low caregiver health literacy associated increased proportion nonurgent index ed visits 48 vs 22 adjusted odds ratio 32 18 57 conclusions half caregivers presenting children ed low health literacy low caregiver health literacy independent predictor higher ed use use ed nonurgent conditions children without chronic illness low health literate caregivers 3 times greater odds presenting nonurgent condition adequate health literacy