Holohan A
Health Soc Serv J. 1978 Nov 10;88(4616):C23-8.
The classification of the medical and social characteristics of a random sample of 360 children requiring admission to a paediatric unit in a Northern town revealed a marked social class gradient, rising from social class I to social class V, when compared with the social class distribution of children in the hospital catchment area wards. This was most evident in children suffering from respiratory diseases. Infants were particularly susceptible to respiratory diseases when compared with the age distribution of children in the selected wards. Two electoral wards had a higher than expected number of ill children. One the crisis of a sick child developed, the families of these children were disadvantaged in their access to medical care by their lack of private transport and private telephones. The reported delay experienced by these families from approach to, and contact with, GPs was particularly acute in the mornings and it must be concluded that some children may be at risk at this time of day. Out-of-hours calls were promptly attended by both GPs and deputising service doctors.
对一个北方城镇360名需要入住儿科病房的儿童随机样本的医学和社会特征进行分类后发现，与医院集水区病房儿童的社会阶层分布相比，存在明显的社会阶层梯度，从社会阶层I到社会阶层V呈上升趋势。这在患有呼吸系统疾病的儿童中最为明显。与所选病房儿童的年龄分布相比，婴儿尤其易患呼吸系统疾病。两个选区病房患病儿童数量高于预期。一旦患病儿童出现危机，这些儿童的家庭因缺乏私人交通工具和私人电话而在获得医疗服务方面处于不利地位。据报道，这些家庭在联系全科医生时所经历的延误在上午尤为严重，因此可以得出结论，一天中的这个时候有些儿童可能处于危险之中。全科医生和代理服务医生都能及时处理非工作时间的电话。
