School referral survey.
Many schools refer children who have sustained an injury, directly to the local Accident & Emergency (A&E) department. This prospective study monitored these referrals for one school term (08.01.96-31.03.96). During this time 200 children under the age of 14 years presented from school to the A&E department of the Royal Aberdeen Childrens Hospital (RACH). The majority presented with trivial or mild injuries and 45% of parents felt that attending A&E was inappropriate. Half the accidents happened to unsupervised children. Rural children and children of working parents were less likely to attend A&E. In Grampian Region school referrals to A&E generate a significant workload for the A&E department with resultant cost implications. It would appear that a large number of these attendances are medically unnecessary and result from a desire by the school to avoid any complaint or litigation.
Accident and Emergency Department, Royal Aberdeen Childrens Hospital.
D M
DM
Macgregor
J A
JA
Hiscox
D000041:Absenteeism; D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003625:Data Collection; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012572:School Health Services / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012606:Scotland / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy