Abstract
Objective
to evaluate the association between selected sociodemographic, clinical and utilization variables and the inadequate use of an Emergency Care Service (ECS).
Methods
cross-sectional study with a sample of the 791 care attendances in an ECS during the year 2012 in Ouro Preto. The inadequate use of the ECS was evaluated using the Hospital Urgencies Appropriateness Protocol after descriptive and statistical analysis was performed using the Pearson chi-square test to detect associations between inadequate use and other variables. The binary Logistic Regression was used to estimate the odds ratio.
Results
58.8% of the attendances were considered inadequate, with 78.7% of discharge after assistance. The utilization of the ECS in a working day had a greater chance of association with and inadequate care (CI=1.31-2.65).
Conclusion
The demand during working days and without referral to other health services was related to the inadequate use of the ECS. The percentage of inadequate attendances points to the need to implement a risk rating system in the ECS, better structuring of the health care network and educational activities among the population for guidance on how to more effectively use the urgent/emergency system the health region.
emergency medical services; cross-sectional studies; health services evaluation