Use of Emergency Departments among Working Age Adults with Disabilities: A Problem of Access and Service Needs. (26th December 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rasch, Elizabeth K.; Gulley, Stephen P.; Chan, Leighton
• Is Part Of: Health services research. Volume 48:Number 4(2013:Aug.)
• Page Start: 1334
• Page End: 1358
• Publication Date: 2012-12-26
• Subjects: Medical care -- Periodicals; Medical care -- Evaluation -- Periodicals; Hospital care -- Periodicals; Health services administration -- Periodicals; 362
• DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.12025
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0017-9124

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="hesr12025-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="hesr12025-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To examine the relationship between emergency department (ED) use and access to medical care and prescription medications among working age Americans with disabilities.</p> </sec> <sec id="hesr12025-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Data Source</title> <p>Pooled data from the 2006–2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a U.S. health survey representative of community‐dwelling civilians.</p> </sec> <sec id="hesr12025-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Study Design</title> <p>We compared the health and service utilization of two groups of people with disabilities to a contrast group without disability. We modeled ED visits on the basis of disability status, measures of health and health conditions, access to care, and sociodemographics.</p> </sec> <sec id="hesr12025-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Data Extraction</title> <p>These variables were aggregated from the household component, the medical condition, and event files to provide average annual estimates for the period spanning 2006–2008.</p> </sec> <sec id="hesr12025-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Principal Findings</title> <p>People with disabilities accounted for almost 40 percent of the annual visits made to U.S. EDs each year. Three key factors affect their ED use: access to regular medical care (including prescription medications), disability status, and the complexity of individuals' health profiles.</p> </sec> <sec id="hesr12025-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Given the volume of health conditions among people with disabilities, the ED will always play a role in their care. However, some ED visits could potentially be avoided if ongoing care were optimized.</p> </sec> </abstract>