USE OF EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS BY THE ELDERLY IN RURAL-AREAS

Sparse information is available concerning use of emergency department s (EDs) by the elderly in rural areas. We reviewed records of all pati ents seeking care at EDs of three rural hospitals during 7 days in Oct ober 1991. We found that elderly people did not use EDs in proportion to their numbers in the community (15.2% versus 19.3%). Compared with younger ED patients, more elderly patients required an ambulance (40.8 % versus 10.7%), more needled hospitalization (38.4% versus 11.9%), an d their ED stays were longer (140 minutes versus 89 minutes). Falls/in juries (18.7%) and cardiac illness (18.1%)Fc ere the most frequent. re asons for EB visits by the elderly, and relatively few (2.8%) had conf usion, More elderly patients arrived during daytime hours than during the night, and more on weekends than weekdays, Also, we found no diffe rence between patients in the 65- to 74-year-old age group and those a ged 75 years and older.