[Reasons for hospital and ambulatory emergencies in Navarre].
BACKGROUND
The demand for emergency health care is reaching figures that are close to saturating the system. The aim of the paper is to describe the profile of the user of hospital and ambulatory emergency care in Navarre and to determine the factors that motivate use of the accident and emergency services.


METHODS
Multicentric transversal study. A self-administered questionnaire with multiple answers was employed. Two thousand three hundred and sixty-four patients who attended a hospital or ambulatory emergency service (excluding home visits) in Navarre between November 15th and 21st 2007. We collected descriptive data on the patient, reasons for requesting emergency care grouped into three blocks (18 items) and sensation of seriousness (light, moderate, serious) that he/she attributes to his/her symptomology. The association between self-perception of seriousness and going to hospital and the other variables studied was analysed through non-conditional logistic regression.


RESULTS
The highest demand was for ambulatory care (62.7%). The principal reasons for using the services are need (66.3%) and convenience (40.7%). There are statistically significant differences between hospital and outpatient demands. Those who evaluate their state as light (24.1%) attend ambulatory accidents and emergencies more (OR:1.4; CI95%:1.1-1.9), have a state of health that is normally good (OR:2.1; CI95%:1.3-3.2), and indicate reasons of convenience (OR:1.6; CI95%:1.3-2) as reasons for the demand.


CONCLUSIONS
Both users and doctors should participate in the debate to try and influence the inappropriate use of the health services, both through excess and by default.
Pérez-Ciordia
I
I
Servicio de Urgencias Extrahospitalarias, Centro de Salud de Tafalla, Spain. ignacio_perez_ciordia@hotmail.com
Guillén-Grima
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000553:Ambulatory Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires