The Gulf War: pediatric emergency room function.

PURPOSE

To analyze the effects of war on the civilian population through patterns of medical service consumption in a pediatric emergency room.

METHODOLOGY

A survey of variables related to use of emergency room services before, during, and after the Gulf War.

RESULTS

There was a dramatic decrease in the number of visits during the war. During the war, there were fewer visits for URI, home accidents and intoxications; there were more visits for complaints such as headaches, restlessness, and tremors.

CONCLUSIONS

Visits during the ware were more related to emergency situations with fewer visits of the walk-in clinic type.