[Emergency department utilization by children aged less than two years old].
BACKGROUND
Emergency department visits are rising although birth rate is decreasing.


OBJECTIVE
To compare emergency department.(ED) utilization in the cohorts of children born in 1991 and 1996 in a health district.


METHODS
We performed a two-year retrospective cohort study in the health district of Mieres (Spain). All children born in the health district in 1991 (n 600) and 1996 (n 423) were included. The number of visits to the ED was obtained and the frequency and mean number of visits in the first 2 years of life were calculated according to age, sex, and area of residence.


RESULTS
The gross number of visits did not vary (1991: 852; 1996: 853), despite a decrease in birth rate. The number of children who attended the ED at least once increased by 34.8 % (1991, 60.6 %; 1996, 82 %) and the frequency of visits increased by 41.7 % (1991, 142.2 %; 1996, 201.4 %). More than 60 % of visits were made by 20 % (1991) of the children and by 29 % (1996). The percentage of children who attended the ED, the frequency rate and the mean number of visits were significantly higher in the municipality nearest the hospital than in the remaining municipalities in the health district.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the gross number of visits to the ED remained unchanged, ED utilization increased substantially in only 5 years.
Oterino de la Fuente
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D
Fundación Instituto de Investigación en Servicios de Salud. Centro Salud de Teatinos. Asturias. España. doterino@eresmas.net
Peiró Moreno
S
S
D002662:Child Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013030:Spain