Characteristic patterns of emergency ambulance assignments for older adults compared with adults requiring emergency care at home in Sweden: a total population study
Abstract Background Since the vast majority of older adults in Sweden live in their private homes throughout life, the emergency medical services need to adapt accordingly. Hence, we aimed to describe characteristic patterns of dyadic staffed emergency ambulance assignments for older adults aged >...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-12-01
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| Series: | BMC Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-020-00387-y |
| _version_ | 1818648012879036416 |
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| author | Anna Hjalmarsson Mats Holmberg Margareta Asp Gunnel Östlund Kent W. Nilsson Birgitta Kerstis |
| author_facet | Anna Hjalmarsson Mats Holmberg Margareta Asp Gunnel Östlund Kent W. Nilsson Birgitta Kerstis |
| author_sort | Anna Hjalmarsson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Since the vast majority of older adults in Sweden live in their private homes throughout life, the emergency medical services need to adapt accordingly. Hence, we aimed to describe characteristic patterns of dyadic staffed emergency ambulance assignments for older adults aged > 70 years compared with adults aged 18–69 years requiring emergency care at home in Sweden. Methods A descriptive retrospective study was performed using anonymized registry data from the emergency medical services in a region of Sweden during 2017–2018. One-sample χ2 test, one-way analysis of variance, and binary logistic regression models were used for investigating group differences. Variables for analysis were age, gender, clinical assessments, on-scene time, priority levels, result of response, and temporal patterns. Results Of all included emergency ambulance assignments (n = 28,533), 59.9% involved older adults, of which 53.8% were women. The probability for older adults to receive the highest priority was decreased for both dispatch (p < 0.001, odds ratio [OR] 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59–0.66), and transport priorities (p < 0.001, OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.68–0.80). Older adults were more likely to receive dispatch priority levels 2 (p < 0.001, OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.40–1.56), and 3 (p < 0.001, OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.46–2.06). The older adults were similarly more likely to receive transport priority level 3 (p < 0.001, OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.28–1.52) compared with adults. Age had a small but additive effect in relation to on-scene time (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.01, F = 53.82). Distinguishing initial clinical assessments for older adults were circulatory, respiratory, trauma, infection, and nonspecific assessments. Emergency ambulance assignments for older adults were more frequently occurring on Mondays (p < 0.001, χ2 = 232.56), and in the 08:00–11:59 interval (p < 0.001, χ2 = 1224.08). Conclusion The issues of the lower priority level preponderance, and the decreased probability for receiving the highest priority warrant further attention in future research and clinical practice. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T01:11:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2a8d5649c61842c0bcbb2cbc0193ffe8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-227X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T01:11:40Z |
| publishDate | 2020-12-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-2a8d5649c61842c0bcbb2cbc0193ffe82022-12-21T22:09:07ZengBMCBMC Emergency Medicine1471-227X2020-12-0120111210.1186/s12873-020-00387-yCharacteristic patterns of emergency ambulance assignments for older adults compared with adults requiring emergency care at home in Sweden: a total population studyAnna Hjalmarsson0Mats Holmberg1Margareta Asp2Gunnel Östlund3Kent W. Nilsson4Birgitta Kerstis5School of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen UniversityFaculty of Health and Life Sciences, Linneaus UniversitySchool of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen UniversitySchool of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen UniversitySchool of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen UniversitySchool of Health, Care and Social Welfare, Mälardalen UniversityAbstract Background Since the vast majority of older adults in Sweden live in their private homes throughout life, the emergency medical services need to adapt accordingly. Hence, we aimed to describe characteristic patterns of dyadic staffed emergency ambulance assignments for older adults aged > 70 years compared with adults aged 18–69 years requiring emergency care at home in Sweden. Methods A descriptive retrospective study was performed using anonymized registry data from the emergency medical services in a region of Sweden during 2017–2018. One-sample χ2 test, one-way analysis of variance, and binary logistic regression models were used for investigating group differences. Variables for analysis were age, gender, clinical assessments, on-scene time, priority levels, result of response, and temporal patterns. Results Of all included emergency ambulance assignments (n = 28,533), 59.9% involved older adults, of which 53.8% were women. The probability for older adults to receive the highest priority was decreased for both dispatch (p < 0.001, odds ratio [OR] 0.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59–0.66), and transport priorities (p < 0.001, OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.68–0.80). Older adults were more likely to receive dispatch priority levels 2 (p < 0.001, OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.40–1.56), and 3 (p < 0.001, OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.46–2.06). The older adults were similarly more likely to receive transport priority level 3 (p < 0.001, OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.28–1.52) compared with adults. Age had a small but additive effect in relation to on-scene time (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.01, F = 53.82). Distinguishing initial clinical assessments for older adults were circulatory, respiratory, trauma, infection, and nonspecific assessments. Emergency ambulance assignments for older adults were more frequently occurring on Mondays (p < 0.001, χ2 = 232.56), and in the 08:00–11:59 interval (p < 0.001, χ2 = 1224.08). Conclusion The issues of the lower priority level preponderance, and the decreased probability for receiving the highest priority warrant further attention in future research and clinical practice.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-020-00387-yAmbulanceCharacteristicsEmergency medical servicesOlder adults |
| spellingShingle | Anna Hjalmarsson Mats Holmberg Margareta Asp Gunnel Östlund Kent W. Nilsson Birgitta Kerstis Characteristic patterns of emergency ambulance assignments for older adults compared with adults requiring emergency care at home in Sweden: a total population study BMC Emergency Medicine Ambulance Characteristics Emergency medical services Older adults |
| title | Characteristic patterns of emergency ambulance assignments for older adults compared with adults requiring emergency care at home in Sweden: a total population study |
| title_full | Characteristic patterns of emergency ambulance assignments for older adults compared with adults requiring emergency care at home in Sweden: a total population study |
| title_fullStr | Characteristic patterns of emergency ambulance assignments for older adults compared with adults requiring emergency care at home in Sweden: a total population study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Characteristic patterns of emergency ambulance assignments for older adults compared with adults requiring emergency care at home in Sweden: a total population study |
| title_short | Characteristic patterns of emergency ambulance assignments for older adults compared with adults requiring emergency care at home in Sweden: a total population study |
| title_sort | characteristic patterns of emergency ambulance assignments for older adults compared with adults requiring emergency care at home in sweden a total population study |
| topic | Ambulance Characteristics Emergency medical services Older adults |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12873-020-00387-y |
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