The School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK.
Emerg Med J. 2019 Jan;36(1):39-46. doi: 10.1136/emermed-2017-207118. Epub 2018 Nov 2.
The number of EDs visit is on the increase, and the pressure on EDs is of significant concern worldwide. The usage of EDs by parents of children with minor illness is an important and still unresolved problem causing a burden to healthcare services. The aim of this study was to review the literature to summarise parental reasons for visiting ED for children with minor illness.
Seven electronic databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus) were comprehensively searched during a 2-week period in August 2016 and updated between 11 and 20 June 2018. The study selection process was undertaken independently by two authors. Qualitative and quantitative studies that focused on the reasons for parents of children with minor illness to attend an ED were included. Studies were assessed for quality and data were analysed by means of narrative synthesis.
Twenty-four studies were included. Eleven studies employed quantitative methods, eleven studies used qualitative methods and two studies used mixed methods. Parental reasons for using ED included perceived urgency, ED advantages (eg, faster service, superior ED resources and efficiency), difficulties with getting a general practitioner appointment, lack of facilities in primary healthcare services, lack of health insurance, reassurance, convenience and access.
This review identified some of the reasons why parents bring their children to the ED for minor illnesses highlighting the multifaceted nature of this problem. Understanding parental reasons behind their choice to use the ED may help us better design targeted interventions to reduce unnecessary ED visits and alleviate the burden on overstretched healthcare services. This review may help inform emergency care policy makers, researchers and healthcare staff to understand parents' reasons for visiting the ED, to better meet their healthcare needs.
急诊科就诊人数不断增加，急诊科的压力引起了全球的关注。家长带患有小病的孩子去急诊科就诊的现象较为普遍，这是一个尚未解决的重要问题，给医疗服务带来了负担。本研究旨在对文献进行综述，总结家长带患有小病的孩子去急诊科就诊的原因。
2016 年 8 月的两周内，全面检索了 7 个电子数据库（Medline、Embase、PsycINFO、CINAHL、PubMed、Web of Science 和 Scopus），并于 2018 年 6 月 11 日至 20 日进行了更新。两名作者独立进行了研究选择过程。纳入了重点关注家长带患有小病的孩子去急诊科就诊原因的定性和定量研究。通过叙述性综合评估研究质量并分析数据。
共纳入 24 项研究。11 项研究采用了定量方法，11 项研究采用了定性方法，2 项研究采用了混合方法。家长带孩子去急诊科就诊的原因包括感知的紧迫性、急诊科的优势（例如，服务更快、急诊科资源和效率更高）、预约全科医生困难、基层医疗服务设施不足、缺乏医疗保险、寻求安慰、方便和获得医疗服务。
本综述确定了家长带孩子去急诊科就诊治疗小病的部分原因，强调了这一问题的多面性。了解家长选择去急诊科就诊的背后原因，可能有助于我们更好地设计有针对性的干预措施，以减少不必要的急诊科就诊次数，减轻不堪重负的医疗服务压力。本综述可能有助于为急诊护理政策制定者、研究人员和医疗保健人员提供信息，以帮助他们了解家长去急诊科就诊的原因，更好地满足他们的医疗保健需求。
