@article{ref1,
title="Characteristics of paediatric frequent presenters at emergency departments: a whole-of-population study",
journal="Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health",
year="2020",
author="Procter, Alexandra M. and Gialamas, Angela and Pilkington, Rhiannon M. and Montgomerie, Alicia and Chittleborough, Catherine R. and Smithers, Lisa G. and Lynch, John W.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="AIM: To quantify the frequency of emergency department (ED) presentations and profile the socio-demographic, health and presentation characteristics of paediatric ED frequent presenters.   METHODS: A population-based data linkage study of 55 921 children in the South Australian Early Childhood Data Project aged 0-12 years with 100 976 presentations to public hospital EDs in South Australia. For each child, the total number of recurrent ED presentations during a 364-day period post-index presentation was calculated. Frequent presenters were children who experienced ≥4 recurrent ED presentations. We determined the socio-demographic, health and presentation characteristics by number of recurrent presentations.   RESULTS: Children with ≥4 recurrent presentations (4.4%) accounted for 15.4% of all paediatric ED presentations and 22.5% of subsequent admissions to hospital during the 12-month study period. Compared to children with no recurrent ED presentation, frequent presenters had higher proportions of socio-economic and health disadvantage at birth. One in two (49.3%) frequent presenters had at least one injury presentation and one (21.3%) in five had at least one presentation related to a chronic condition.   CONCLUSIONS: Children with ≥4 presentations do not represent the majority of ED users. Nevertheless, they represent a disproportionate burden accounting for 15% of all paediatric ED presentations in a 12-month period. Frequent presenters were characterised by early socio-economic and health disadvantage, and childhood injury. Strategies targeting social disadvantage and childhood injury may reduce the burden of ED presentations.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1034-4810",
doi="10.1111/jpc.15119",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.15119"
}