The Epidemiology of Pre-Hospital EMS Treatment of Geriatric Patients in the City of Vienna—An Overview
<b>Background:</b> The city of Vienna, Austria, has a gradually aging population. Elderly people, over 65 years old and living at home or in nursing homes, frequently use Emergency Medical Services (EMS). However, there is no previous data comparing the EMS utilization of elderly- and no...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/2/643 |
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| author | Mario Krammel Valentin Drahohs Thomas Hamp Sabine Lemoyne Daniel Grassmann Wolfgang Schreiber Patrick Sulzgruber Sebastian Schnaubelt |
| author_facet | Mario Krammel Valentin Drahohs Thomas Hamp Sabine Lemoyne Daniel Grassmann Wolfgang Schreiber Patrick Sulzgruber Sebastian Schnaubelt |
| author_sort | Mario Krammel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <b>Background:</b> The city of Vienna, Austria, has a gradually aging population. Elderly people, over 65 years old and living at home or in nursing homes, frequently use Emergency Medical Services (EMS). However, there is no previous data comparing the EMS utilization of elderly- and non-elderly patients in Vienna. <b>Methods:</b> We retrospectively analyzed all EMS incidents in Vienna from 2012 to 2019. Transport- and emergency physician treatment rates, annual fluctuations, and the number of non-transports were compared between elderly (≥65 years) and non-elderly (18–64 years) patients. <b>Results:</b> Elderly people accounted for 42.6% of the total EMS responses in adult patients, representing an annual response rate of 223 per 1000 inhabitants ≥ 65 years. Compared to 76 per 1000 inhabitants in patients 18–64 years old, this results in an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 2.93 [2.92–2.94]. Elderly people were more likely (OR 1.68 [1.65–1.70]) to need emergency physicians, compared to 18–64 year-olds. Nursing home residents were twice (OR 2.11 [2.06–2.17]) as likely to need emergency physicians than the rest of the study group. Non-transports were more likely to occur in patients over 65 years than in non-elderlies (14% vs. 12%, <i>p</i> < 0.001). <b>Conclusions:</b> The elderly population ≥ 65 years in Vienna shows higher EMS response rates than younger adults. They need emergency physicians more often, especially when residing in nursing homes. The economical and organizational strain this puts on the emergency response system should trigger further research and the development of solutions, such as specific response units dedicated to elderly people. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:11:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b2f656bb94cb4f95bb3c1b47ac842a9e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:11:00Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-b2f656bb94cb4f95bb3c1b47ac842a9e2023-11-30T22:52:50ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-01-0112264310.3390/jcm12020643The Epidemiology of Pre-Hospital EMS Treatment of Geriatric Patients in the City of Vienna—An OverviewMario Krammel0Valentin Drahohs1Thomas Hamp2Sabine Lemoyne3Daniel Grassmann4Wolfgang Schreiber5Patrick Sulzgruber6Sebastian Schnaubelt7Austrian Cardiac Arrest Awareness Association (PULS), 1090 Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Hospital St. Poelten, 3100 St. Poelten, AustriaEmergency Medical Service, 1030 Vienna, AustriaDepartment of Emergency Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, 2650 Edegem, BelgiumAustrian Cardiac Arrest Awareness Association (PULS), 1090 Vienna, AustriaAustrian Cardiac Arrest Awareness Association (PULS), 1090 Vienna, AustriaAustrian Cardiac Arrest Awareness Association (PULS), 1090 Vienna, AustriaAustrian Cardiac Arrest Awareness Association (PULS), 1090 Vienna, Austria<b>Background:</b> The city of Vienna, Austria, has a gradually aging population. Elderly people, over 65 years old and living at home or in nursing homes, frequently use Emergency Medical Services (EMS). However, there is no previous data comparing the EMS utilization of elderly- and non-elderly patients in Vienna. <b>Methods:</b> We retrospectively analyzed all EMS incidents in Vienna from 2012 to 2019. Transport- and emergency physician treatment rates, annual fluctuations, and the number of non-transports were compared between elderly (≥65 years) and non-elderly (18–64 years) patients. <b>Results:</b> Elderly people accounted for 42.6% of the total EMS responses in adult patients, representing an annual response rate of 223 per 1000 inhabitants ≥ 65 years. Compared to 76 per 1000 inhabitants in patients 18–64 years old, this results in an incidence rate ratio (IRR) of 2.93 [2.92–2.94]. Elderly people were more likely (OR 1.68 [1.65–1.70]) to need emergency physicians, compared to 18–64 year-olds. Nursing home residents were twice (OR 2.11 [2.06–2.17]) as likely to need emergency physicians than the rest of the study group. Non-transports were more likely to occur in patients over 65 years than in non-elderlies (14% vs. 12%, <i>p</i> < 0.001). <b>Conclusions:</b> The elderly population ≥ 65 years in Vienna shows higher EMS response rates than younger adults. They need emergency physicians more often, especially when residing in nursing homes. The economical and organizational strain this puts on the emergency response system should trigger further research and the development of solutions, such as specific response units dedicated to elderly people.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/2/643geriatric patientsnursing homepre-hospital careemergency medicineemergency medical service |
| spellingShingle | Mario Krammel Valentin Drahohs Thomas Hamp Sabine Lemoyne Daniel Grassmann Wolfgang Schreiber Patrick Sulzgruber Sebastian Schnaubelt The Epidemiology of Pre-Hospital EMS Treatment of Geriatric Patients in the City of Vienna—An Overview Journal of Clinical Medicine geriatric patients nursing home pre-hospital care emergency medicine emergency medical service |
| title | The Epidemiology of Pre-Hospital EMS Treatment of Geriatric Patients in the City of Vienna—An Overview |
| title_full | The Epidemiology of Pre-Hospital EMS Treatment of Geriatric Patients in the City of Vienna—An Overview |
| title_fullStr | The Epidemiology of Pre-Hospital EMS Treatment of Geriatric Patients in the City of Vienna—An Overview |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Epidemiology of Pre-Hospital EMS Treatment of Geriatric Patients in the City of Vienna—An Overview |
| title_short | The Epidemiology of Pre-Hospital EMS Treatment of Geriatric Patients in the City of Vienna—An Overview |
| title_sort | epidemiology of pre hospital ems treatment of geriatric patients in the city of vienna an overview |
| topic | geriatric patients nursing home pre-hospital care emergency medicine emergency medical service |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/2/643 |
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