Delaying attendance at A&E departments.
In the first article of a new four-part series, Mike Walsh analyses the reasons why patients delay before attending an accident and emergency (A&E) department. Interviews with a sample of 200 A&E patients were conducted to find out why people attend when they do. Factors such as presence of a wound, access to the department and type of condition were found to be significant in their decision. The concepts of utilisation time, illness time and appraisal time are essential in understanding why patients may delay their attendance. Subsequent articles will address questions such as why people attend A&E rather than their GP, pain and anxiety in A&E, and patients' opinions of their experience.
Walsh
M
M
D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D010361:Patients; D013997:Time Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy