Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Καρδιοαναπνευστική ΑναζωογόνησηLibrary of the School of Health Sciences
Supervisors info:
Κουσκούνη Ευαγγελία, Ομότιμη Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπουσα
Ξάνθος Θεόδωρος, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, Ευρωπαϊκό Πανεπιστήμιο Κύπρου
Ιακωβίδου Νικολέτα, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Η οικονομική κρίση ως παράγοντας μεταβολής του προφίλ των ασθενών που προσέρχονται στο Τμήμα Επειγόντων Περιστατικών
Translated title:
The effect of economic crisis on the profile of the patients visiting Emergency Department of General Hospital of Eastern Achaia
Summary:
Background: Economic crisis has a negative impact on patients. The proportion of patients entering the Emergency Department (ED) without insurance coverage is rising. In addition, a higher percentage of patients are unable to pay for the health services provided, raising concerns that they postpone the care they need.
Objective: To describe and compare if there has been a change in the profile of patients visiting the ED of a Regional General Hospital for a period of 5 years during the economic crisis compared to the patients who attended the ED for the same period before its beginning.
Methods: This study is a retrospective quality study. Data were collected from the records of the ED of General Hospital of Eastern Achaia, Greece.
Results: There was an increase in the number of patients who reached ED during the economic crisis, in relation to the number of patients before crisis. There was no statistically significant difference in the male/female ratio before and during the crisis (p=0.475). A difference was found in age distribution (p=0.030). In particular, during the crisis, there was an increase in the percentage of patients aged over 61 years (from 35.7% to 40.0%) and a decrease in the percentage of patients between 41-60 years (from 29.1% to 25.4%). The percentage of insured persons declined significantly after the crisis (from 94.1% to 78.8%) and the proportion of non-insured persons increased (from 2.4% to 16.7%). An increase was, also, found in the percentage of patients who postponed seeking medical treatment and in the percentage of number of deaths during economic crisis (from 0.4% to 3.3%). Patients, who were seeking medical treatment in ED from other towns, in particularly from Athens, decreased significantly during crisis. Patients with mental disorders increased (from 1.7% to 3.8%).
Conclusions: Implementation of social policy measures is necessary to address the additional obstacles to healthcare.
Main subject category:
Health Sciences
Keywords:
Economic crisis, Emergency department, Health care, Greece
Number of references:
219
