Author(s): Hsu, SW (Hsu, Shang-Wei); Lin, YW (Lin, Ya-Wen); Chwo, MJ (Chwo, Miao-Ju);
Huang, HC (Huang, Hui-Chi); Yen, CF (Yen, Chia-Feng); Lin, LP (Lin, Lan-Ping); Wu, JL (Wu, Jia-Ling); Lin, JD (Lin, Jin-Ding)
Title: Emergency department utilization and determinants of use by 0-to 6-year-old children with disabilities in Taipei
Source: RESEARCH IN DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES, 30 (4): 774-781 JUL-AUG 2009 Language: English
Document Type: Article
Author Keywords: Access to care; Children with disabilities; Emergency department; Health care utilization; Health services access
KeyWords Plus: INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES; UNITED-STATES; CARE UTILIZATION;
PEOPLE; TAIWAN
Abstract: Although many studies have explored emergency services for children, there are few published reports of the utilization of emergency services by children with disabilities. The present study attempts to provide data regarding the utilization of, and factors affecting, emergency department visits by disabled children in Taipei. A general census of 1006 children with disabilities, identified from the Taiwan National Disability Registry System in Taipei, was conducted. The overall response rate was 38%, yielding a sample of 340 disabled children.
The results showed that 30.1% of children with disabilities had utilized emergency department services over the past 4 months with an average of 1.4 visits per child. The most common reasons for emergency visits were fever (34.7%), respiratory symptoms (24.2%), abdominal pain (15.8%), injury (7.4%), and epilepsy seizures (7.4%). This study also found, using a logistic regression model, that emergency department utilization may be associated with household economic status and the reported physical health of children with disabilities. The 'deficit' and 'balance' household economic status groups gave odds ratios of 3.902 (95% Cl = 1.469-10.364) and 3.311 (95% Cl = 1.249-8.779), relative to the 'surplus' group. The model also indicated that those children with disabilities who were reported as being in poor physical health had 11.359 times (95% CI=2.968-43.469) the likelihood of using emergency care than those whose physical health was in excellent condition. The study suggests that in order to maximize the health of children with disabilities, medical care stakeholders should consider who are the most likely groups to use emergency department services and develop
anticipatory guidance or preventive services for this vulnerable population. (c) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Addresses: [Lin, Jin-Ding] Natl Def Med Ctr, Sch Publ Hlth, Taipei 114, Taiwan; [Hsu, Shang- Wei] Asia Univ, Grad Inst Healthcare Management, Taichung, Taiwan; [Lin, Ya-Wen] Taipei City Hosp, Songde Branch, Taipei, Taiwan; [Chwo, Miao-Ju] Fu Jen Catholic Univ, Dept Nursing, Taipei, Taipei County, Taiwan; [Huang, Hui-Chi] Natl Taipei Coll Nursing, Dept
Nursing, Taipei, Taiwan; [Yen, Chia-Feng; Lin, Lan-Ping] Natl Def Med Ctr, Grad Inst Life Sci, Taipei 114, Taiwan; [Wu, Jia-Ling] Chung Hua Fdn Persons Intellectual Disabil, Res Ctr Intellectual Disabil Taiwan, Taipei, Taipei County, Taiwan
Reprint Address: Lin, JD, Natl Def Med Ctr, Sch Publ Hlth, 161 Min Chun E Rd,Sec 6, Taipei 114, Taiwan.
E-mail Address: [email protected]
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Cited Reference Count: 13 Times Cited: 7
Publisher: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Publisher Address: THE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, ENGLAND
ISSN: 0891-4222
DOI: 10.1016/j.ridd.2008.10.011
29-char Source Abbrev.: RES DEVELOP DISABIL ISO Source Abbrev.: Res. Dev. Disabil.
Source Item Page Count: 8
Subject Category: Education, Special; Rehabilitation ISI Document Delivery No.: 418RJ
