TY - JOUR
T1 - The emergency department for routine healthcare
T2 - Race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and perceptual factors
AU - Hong, Rick
AU - Baumann, Brigitte M.
AU - Boudreaux, Edwin D.
PY - 2007/2
Y1 - 2007/2
N2 - Our objective was to study the role of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) in the use of the emergency department (ED) as a source of routine healthcare. Adult patients presenting to an urban ED were surveyed. We assessed demographics, race/ethnicity, SES, and perceptional factors related to choosing the ED for the current visit. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to explore whether SES accounted for racial/ethnic trends in ED use. Of 1375 patients, 936 (68%) were enrolled. After controlling for insurance status, income, employment status, and education, neither race nor ethnicity remained a strong predictor of routine ED use. Race/ethnicity-based disparities in routine ED use were due to the confounding effects of SES. Programs to reduce inappropriate ED use must be sensitive to an array of complex socioeconomic issues and may necessitate a substantial paradigm shift in how acute care is provided in low SES communities.
AB - Our objective was to study the role of race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) in the use of the emergency department (ED) as a source of routine healthcare. Adult patients presenting to an urban ED were surveyed. We assessed demographics, race/ethnicity, SES, and perceptional factors related to choosing the ED for the current visit. Stepwise logistic regression analyses were used to explore whether SES accounted for racial/ethnic trends in ED use. Of 1375 patients, 936 (68%) were enrolled. After controlling for insurance status, income, employment status, and education, neither race nor ethnicity remained a strong predictor of routine ED use. Race/ethnicity-based disparities in routine ED use were due to the confounding effects of SES. Programs to reduce inappropriate ED use must be sensitive to an array of complex socioeconomic issues and may necessitate a substantial paradigm shift in how acute care is provided in low SES communities.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/33847319741
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=33847319741&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jemermed.2006.05.042
DO - 10.1016/j.jemermed.2006.05.042
M3 - Article
C2 - 17307624
AN - SCOPUS:33847319741
SN - 0736-4679
VL - 32
SP - 149
EP - 158
JO - Journal of Emergency Medicine
JF - Journal of Emergency Medicine
IS - 2
ER -