Patient Characteristics from an Emergency Care Center in Rural Western Kenya.

Autor: Patel H; Division of Global Health and Human Rights, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; African Institute for Health Transformation at Sagam Community Hospital, Luanda, Kenya; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts., Suarez S; Division of Global Health and Human Rights, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts., Shaull L; Division of Global Health and Human Rights, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; African Institute for Health Transformation at Sagam Community Hospital, Luanda, Kenya., Edwards J; Division of Global Health and Human Rights, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; African Institute for Health Transformation at Sagam Community Hospital, Luanda, Kenya., Altawil Z; Division of Global Health and Human Rights, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts., Owuor J; Division of Global Health and Human Rights, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; African Institute for Health Transformation at Sagam Community Hospital, Luanda, Kenya., Rogo D; African Institute for Health Transformation at Sagam Community Hospital, Luanda, Kenya., Schwartz K; Division of Global Health and Human Rights, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; African Institute for Health Transformation at Sagam Community Hospital, Luanda, Kenya., Richard L; African Institute for Health Transformation at Sagam Community Hospital, Luanda, Kenya., Burke TF; Division of Global Health and Human Rights, Department of Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; African Institute for Health Transformation at Sagam Community Hospital, Luanda, Kenya; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts; Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: The Journal of emergency medicine [J Emerg Med] 2019 Jan; Vol. 56 (1), pp. 80-86. Date of Electronic Publication: 2018 Dec 04.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2018.10.019
Abstrakt: Background: Emergency care is a neglected area of focus in many low- and middle-income countries. There is a paucity of research on types and frequencies of acute illnesses and injuries in low-resource settings.
Objective: The primary objective of this study was to describe the demographic characteristics and emergency conditions of patients that presented to a new emergency care center (ECC) at Sagam Community Hospital in Luanda, Kenya.
Methods: Patient demographic characteristics, modes of arrival, chief symptoms, triage priorities, self-reported human immunodeficiency virus status, tests performed, interventions, discharge diagnoses, and dispositions were collected for all patients that presented to the Sagam Community Hospital ECC.
Results: Between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017, 14,518 patients presented to the ECC. The most common mode of arrival to Sagam Community Hospital was by foot (n = 12,605 [86.8%]). There were 8931 (61.5%) female patients and 5571 (38.4%) male patients. Of the total visits, 12,668 (87.3%) were triaged Priority III (lowest priority), 1239 (8.5%) were Priority II, and 293 (2.0%) were Priority I (highest priority). The most common chief symptoms were headache (n = 3923 [15.2%]), hotness of body or chills (n = 2877 [8.8%]), and cough (n = 1827 [5.5%]). The three most common discharge diagnoses were malaria (n = 3692 [18.9%]), acute upper respiratory infection (n = 1242 [6.3%]), and gastritis/duodenitis (n = 1210 [6.2%]).
Conclusions: Although opening an ECC in rural Kenya attracted patients in need of care, access was limited primarily to those that could arrive on foot. ECCs in rural sub-Saharan Africa have the potential to provide quality care and support attainment of Sustainable Development Goals.
(Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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