OBJECTIVE: To characterize the ED utilization patterns of the elderly population using nationally representative data. METHODS: A secondary analysis was performed using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), a nationwide, stratified probability sample of ED encounters. Using these physician-reported data, the demographics, patient complaints, physician diagnoses, and dispositions were compared by age group, i.e., young-old (age 65-84 years) vs old-old (age > or = 85 years). RESULTS: The elderly (age > or = 65 years) represented 5,038 (19.6%) of 25,646 ED encounters for all adults (age > or = 18 years). The geriatric age groups (ages 65-74, 75-84, and > or = 85 years) accounted for 45.3%, 37.4%, and 17.2% of all the encounters by the elderly. The proportions of female patients and white patients were higher with increasing age. The proportion of elderly patients hospitalized was 4 times that of younger adults and reflected monotonic increase with increasing age among elders. Patient complaints and physician diagnoses were generally similar for the young-old (65-84 years) and the old-old (> or = 85 years). CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with previous single-center studies of geriatric ED patients. This data source may be useful for investigation of clinical issues related to the care of elderly ED patients.
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the ED utilization patterns of the elderly population using nationally representative data. METHODS: A secondary analysis was performed using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), a nationwide, stratified probability sample of ED encounters. Using these physician-reported data, the demographics, patient complaints, physician diagnoses, and dispositions were compared by age group, i.e., young-old (age 65-84 years) vs old-old (age > or = 85 years). RESULTS: The elderly (age > or = 65 years) represented 5,038 (19.6%) of 25,646 ED encounters for all adults (age > or = 18 years). The geriatric age groups (ages 65-74, 75-84, and > or = 85 years) accounted for 45.3%, 37.4%, and 17.2% of all the encounters by the elderly. The proportions of female patients and white patients were higher with increasing age. The proportion of elderly patients hospitalized was 4 times that of younger adults and reflected monotonic increase with increasing age among elders. Patient complaints and physician diagnoses were generally similar for the young-old (65-84 years) and the old-old (> or = 85 years). CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with previous single-center studies of geriatric ED patients. This data source may be useful for investigation of clinical issues related to the care of elderly ED patients.
Authors: R A Rosenblatt; G E Wright; L M Baldwin; L Chan; P Clitherow; F M Chen; L G Hart Journal: Am J Public Health Date: 2000-01 Impact factor: 9.308
Authors: Jing Chen; Jessica B Buchanan; Nathan L Sparkman; Jonathan P Godbout; Gregory G Freund; Rodney W Johnson Journal: Brain Behav Immun Date: 2007-10-24 Impact factor: 7.217
Authors: Christian T Braun; Cornelia R Gnägi; Jolanta Klukowska-Rötzler; Sufian S Ahmad; Meret E Ricklin; Aristomenis K Exadaktylos Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2017-10-17 Impact factor: 3.390