The DOI matches its Crossref record; 54 of the 55 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Factors associated with frequent use of emergency-department services in a geriatric population: a systematic review
Open accessAbstract
BACKGROUND: Frequent geriatric users of emergency departments (EDs) constitute a small group of individuals accounting for a disproportionately high number of ED visits. In addition to overcrowding, this situation might result in a less appropriate response to health needs and negative health impacts. Geriatric patients turn to EDs for a variety of reasons. A better understanding of the variables associated with frequent ED use will help implement interventions best suited for their needs. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed at identifying variables associated with frequent ED use by older adults. METHODS: For this systematic review, we searched Medline, CINAHL, Healthstar, and PsyINFO (before June 2018). Articles written in English or French meeting these criteria were included: targeting a population aged 65 years or older, reporting on frequent ED use, using an observational study design and multivariate regression analysis. The search was supplemented by manually examining the reference lists of relevant studies. Independent reviewers identified articles for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed quality with the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Studies Reporting Prevalence. A narrative synthesis was done to combine the study results. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the effect of removing the studies not meeting the quality criteria. RESULTS: Out of 5096 references, 8 met our inclusion criteria. A high number of past hospital and ED admissions, living in a rural area adjacent to an urban center, low income, a high number of prescribed drugs, and a history of heart disease were associated with frequent ED use among older adults. In addition, having a principal-care physician and living in a remote rural area were associated with fewer ED visits. Some variables recognized in the literature as influencing ED use among older adults received scant consideration, such as comorbidity, dementia, and considerations related to primary-care and community settings. CONCLUSION: Further studies should bridge the gap in understanding and give a more global portrait by adding important personal variables such as dementia, organizational variables such as use of community and primary care, and contextual variables such as social and economic frailty.
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“However, history of ED use has not consistently been identified as the strongest risk factor.35”
From Factors associated with recurrent emergency department visits among people living with dementia: A retrospective cohort study (2023) · cites this paper as [35]
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Hospital at home for older frequent hospital users: present and future of a healthcare challenge
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Methodological approaches to identify frequent emergency department users: a population-based study
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Impact of frequent emergency department visits on resource utilization
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Metadata
- Authors
- Dufour, I., Chouinard, M.-C., Dubuc, N., Beaudin, J., Lafontaine, S., & Hudon, C.
- Affiliations
- Université de Sherbrooke (CA)
- Université du Québec à Chicoutimi (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Dufour, Isabelle
- ORCID
- Venue
- BMC Geriatrics
- Published
- 2019-07-05
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 185-185
- ISSN
- 1471-2318 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6610907
- OpenAlex
- W2953854953
- Cited by
- 128
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 9
- FWCI
- 3.34
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- BMC Geriatrics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Constellation (Université du Québec à Chicoutimi) (submittedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Emergency Medicine › Emergency and Acute Care Studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Chronic Disease Management Strategies
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Leadership and Management › Hospital Admissions and Outcomes
- Keywords
- emergency department utilization, older adults, elderly patients, risk factors, hospitalization, rural residence, low income, polypharmacy, heart disease, primary care, community-based care, comorbidities, dementia, frailty
- MeSH terms
- Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Emergency Medical Services, Emergency Service, Hospital, Female, Geriatrics, Hospitalization, Humans, Male, Population Surveillance, Primary Health Care, Risk Factors
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