Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 11 issue 1 2021
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reasons for patients with non-urgent conditions attending the emergency department in Kenya: A qualitative study
Dublin Core
Title
Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 11 issue 1 2021
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reasons for patients with non-urgent conditions attending the emergency department in Kenya: A qualitative study
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reasons for patients with non-urgent conditions attending the emergency department in Kenya: A qualitative study
Subject
Emergency department
Non-urgent care
Sub-Saharan Africa
Descriptive qualitative research
Non-urgent care
Sub-Saharan Africa
Descriptive qualitative research
Description
Introduction: Scant literature exists on the non-urgent use of emergency departments in Sub-Saharan Africa and
its effects on the provision of effective emergency care services. With the surge in the prevalence of noncommunicable
diseases compounded by an already prevailing significant problem of communicable diseases
and injuries in this setting, there has been a rising demand for emergency care services. This has led to ED
overcrowding, increased healthcare costs, extended waiting periods and overstretched essential services. The
main objective of this study was to determine why patients visit the ED for non-urgent care.
Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted at a tertiary university hospital ED in Nairobi, Kenya.
Purposive sampling was used to select patients triaged as less urgent or non-urgent. In-depth interviews were
conducted until thematic saturation was achieved. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and
analyzed thematically.
Results: Thematic saturation was reached after interviewing twenty-four patients. The obtained data was discussed
under three main themes: (1) reasons why patients visited the ED for non-urgent care, (2) patients understanding
of the roles of the ED, and (3) patients’ perceptions about the urgency of their medical conditions.
Several factors were identified as contributing to the non-urgent use of the ED including positive experiences
during past visits, a perception of availability of better services and the closure of other departments after officehours
and on weekends. It was found that non-urgent ED visits occurred despite most patients having an understanding
of the role of the ED as an appropriate location for the treatment of patients with life threatening
conditions.
Conclusion: This study highlights several reasons why patients with non-urgent medical conditions seek care in
the ED despite being able to correctly identify its purpose within the national emergency care framework.
Regular patient education regarding which conditions warrant ED attendance and alternative sites of care for
non-urgent conditions could potentially help reduce ED patient numbers
its effects on the provision of effective emergency care services. With the surge in the prevalence of noncommunicable
diseases compounded by an already prevailing significant problem of communicable diseases
and injuries in this setting, there has been a rising demand for emergency care services. This has led to ED
overcrowding, increased healthcare costs, extended waiting periods and overstretched essential services. The
main objective of this study was to determine why patients visit the ED for non-urgent care.
Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted at a tertiary university hospital ED in Nairobi, Kenya.
Purposive sampling was used to select patients triaged as less urgent or non-urgent. In-depth interviews were
conducted until thematic saturation was achieved. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and
analyzed thematically.
Results: Thematic saturation was reached after interviewing twenty-four patients. The obtained data was discussed
under three main themes: (1) reasons why patients visited the ED for non-urgent care, (2) patients understanding
of the roles of the ED, and (3) patients’ perceptions about the urgency of their medical conditions.
Several factors were identified as contributing to the non-urgent use of the ED including positive experiences
during past visits, a perception of availability of better services and the closure of other departments after officehours
and on weekends. It was found that non-urgent ED visits occurred despite most patients having an understanding
of the role of the ED as an appropriate location for the treatment of patients with life threatening
conditions.
Conclusion: This study highlights several reasons why patients with non-urgent medical conditions seek care in
the ED despite being able to correctly identify its purpose within the national emergency care framework.
Regular patient education regarding which conditions warrant ED attendance and alternative sites of care for
non-urgent conditions could potentially help reduce ED patient numbers
Creator
Emergency department
Non-urgent care
Sub-Saharan Africa
Descriptive qualitative research
Non-urgent care
Sub-Saharan Africa
Descriptive qualitative research
Source
www.elsevier.com/locate/afjem
Date
4 September 2020
Contributor
peri irawan
Format
pdf
Language
english
Type
text
Files
Citation
Emergency department
Non-urgent care
Sub-Saharan Africa
Descriptive qualitative research, “Jurnal Internasional Afrika vol. 11 issue 1 2021
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reasons for patients with non-urgent conditions attending the emergency department in Kenya: A qualitative study,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed December 22, 2024, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2502.
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Reasons for patients with non-urgent conditions attending the emergency department in Kenya: A qualitative study,” Repository Horizon University Indonesia, accessed December 22, 2024, https://repository.horizon.ac.id/items/show/2502.