[An exploration of factors that influence the frequency of the use of hospital emergency services and admissions].

OBJECTIVE

To examine how some factors connected with Continuous Care Points (CCP) affect attendance at hospital Casualty departments and admittance from them.

DESIGN

Ecological study.

SETTING

León Health area.

PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS

All the CCP's belonging to the León Health area.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Average attendance at hospital Casualties was 15.7 per 1,000 inhabitants per month. Those patients who brought with them a P10 form were more likely to be admitted (39.5% to 26.5%) than those who did not bring this form (p < 0.01). It was concluded from a regression analysis that the distance between the CCP and the hospital decisively affects attendance at hospital Casualties (r = -0.74) and that the admission rate is positively related to distance (r = 0.72) and negatively to the said attendance at Casualties (r = -0.77).

CONCLUSION

Use of hospital Casualty departments increases as accessibility (distance) improves. Distance and the ageing of the population are factors which have an important effect on the admission rates from Casualties.