Citation

Brown LH, Chaiechi T, Buettner PG, Canyon DV, Crawford JM, Judd J. Aust. N. Zeal. J. Public Health 2013; 37(1): 83-89.

Affiliation

School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland Discipline of Economics, School of Business, James Cook University, Queensland School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland; John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, United States Ohio State University College of Public Health, United States School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Public Health Association of Australia, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/1753-6405.12015

PMID

23379811

Abstract

Objective : To evaluate the impact of changing energy prices on Australian ambulance systems. Methods : Generalised estimating equations were used to analyse contemporaneous and lagged relationships between changes in energy prices and ambulance system performance measures in all Australian State/Territory ambulance systems for the years 2000-2010. Measures included: expenditures per response; labour-to-total expenditure ratio; full-time equivalent employees (FTE) per 10,000 responses; average salary; median and 90th percentile response time; and injury compensation claims. Energy price data included State average diesel price, State average electricity price, and world crude oil price. Results : Changes in diesel prices were inversely associated with changes in salaries, and positively associated with changes in ambulance response times; changes in oil prices were also inversely associated with changes in salaries, as well with staffing levels and expenditures per ambulance response. Changes in electricity prices were positively associated with changes in expenditures per response and changes in salaries; they were also positively associated with changes in injury compensation claims per 100 FTE. Conclusion : Changes in energy prices are associated with changes in Australian ambulance systems' resource, performance and safety characteristics in ways that could affect both patients and personnel. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms of, and strategies for mitigating, these impacts. The impacts of energy prices on other aspects of the health system should also be investigated.

Language: en