[Do physicians' strikes influence the utilization profile of hospital emergency services?].
BACKGROUND
To assess the differences in appropriateness of consultations and demographic outline of people attended in a hospital emergency facility (HEP) along the hospital physicians strike period in spring 1995.


METHODS
Observational cross-sectional study in Health Area 1 in the province of Badajoz. 8964 patients assisted along the strike period were compared with 8024 attended in the same period of 1994 (no strike).


RESULTS
The patients average was 169.13 (SD 27.35) a day in the strike period, during the control period this mean was 151.39 (SD 19.78) patients a day (p < 0.001). Demographic variables of patients were similar in both groups, with similar mean ages and gender proportion in all age and residence site groups. Most of patients went to the HEF self-promoted (70.1% and 65.8%) and without ambulance (92% and 90.8%) in both periods (strike and control). The outcome of medical care was home discharge in 85.35% during the strike period and 83.81% in the control period, with admission rates of 13.1% and 14.15% (p < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
There are no significant differences in the HEF use features completely explained by the physicians strike.
Buitrago
F
F
Unidad docente de Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Centro de Salud Universitario La Paz de Badajoz.
Gamero Samino
M J
MJ
Vergeles Blanca
J M
JM
Cano Lozano
M J
MJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians; D012621:Seasons; D013030:Spain; D013317:Strikes, Employee
Influyen las huelgas de médicos en el perfil de utilización de los servicios de urgencias hospitalarios?