[Age and gender aspects in the utilization of emergency departments and their consideration in the management of emergency care].
Source: PubMed, NCBI / U.S. National Library of Medicine
Emergency department (ED) care should be guided according to patient needs and demand. Age and gender influence consultation and care patterns. This study aims to analyze these factors as well as upstream care pathways in order to reduce misallocation and improve quality of care. Between March and November 2024, standardized patient surveys were conducted in 5 Berlin and 18 Bavarian emergency departments (n = 10,040). Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, presenting complaints, subjective urgency, physician contacts, and awareness of the 116117 hotline. Influencing factors were analyzed using logistic regression; only cases indicating "male" or "female" were included. A total of 9835 questionnaires were analyzed (49.6% female); patients were predominantly from older age groups. Reasons for presentation differed by gender: for example, women more frequently reported pain as well as neurological or abdominal complaints, whereas men more often presented with injuries. Health-related anxiety was a key motive for seeking care in about 37.8% of cases and was more common among women. A prior attempt to contact ambulatory care was reported by 48.7% of women and 44.2% of men (p < 0.001). Direct ED visits were more frequent in cases of higher urgency and injuries. Awareness of the 116117 hotline was 67.0% among women and 60.3% among men and decreased with age; willingness to use digital self-assessment tools was h
Abstract
Emergency department (ED) care should be guided according to patient needs and demand. Age and gender influence consultation and care patterns. This study aims to analyze these factors as well as upstream care pathways in order to reduce misallocation and improve quality of care. Between March and November 2024, standardized patient surveys were conducted in 5 Berlin and 18 Bavarian emergency departments (n = 10,040). Data collected included sociodemographic characteristics, presenting complaints, subjective urgency, physician contacts, and awareness of the 116117 hotline. Influencing factors were analyzed using logistic regression; only cases indicating "male" or "female" were included. A total of 9835 questionnaires were analyzed (49.6% female); patients were predominantly from older age groups. Reasons for presentation differed by gender: for example, women more frequently reported pain as well as neurological or abdominal complaints, whereas men more often presented with injuries. Health-related anxiety was a key motive for seeking care in about 37.8% of cases and was more common among women. A prior attempt to contact ambulatory care was reported by 48.7% of women and 44.2% of men (p < 0.001). Direct ED visits were more frequent in cases of higher urgency and injuries. Awareness of the 116117 hotline was 67.0% among women and 60.3% among men and decreased with age; willingness to use digital self-assessment tools was higher among younger individuals. Age and gender influence both utilization patterns and the steerability of emergency care. Target group-specific, low-threshold, and digital interventions may help reduce misallocation and improve quality of care.