scholarly journals Clarifying the concept of avoidable emergency department attendance

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Parkinson ◽  
Rachel Meacock ◽  
Katherine Checkland ◽  
Matt Sutton

Emergency department attendances are rising in several countries. Many of the policies aimed at reducing emergency department attendances are based on the assumption that a proportion of current utilization is ‘avoidable’ and therefore could be reduced. In considering how to achieve this aim, it is important to first understand the problem. In this essay, we review the literature on the concept and identification of avoidable emergency department attendances in England. We identified three areas of inconsistency surrounding avoidable emergency department attendances: the terminology, the underlying definition, and the method used to identify avoidable attendances. We offer a more nuanced definition which may better support action to reduce emergency department activity. Recognizing that there are different types of undesirable utilization which vary by underlying causes and potential solutions will aid policy makers in identifying areas where policies targeting reductions in emergency department attendances would best be directed.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca L. Jessup ◽  
Cassandra Bramston ◽  
Alison Beauchamp ◽  
Anthony Gust ◽  
Natali Cvetanovska ◽  
...  

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. e040272
Author(s):  
Catherine Laferté ◽  
Andréa Dépelteau ◽  
Catherine Hudon

ObjectiveTo review all studies having examined the association between patients with physical injuries and frequent emergency department (ED) attendance or return visits.DesignSystematic review.Data sourceMedline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) and PsycINFO databases were searched up to and including July 2019.Eligibility criteriaEnglish and French language publications reporting on frequent use of ED services (frequent attendance and return visits), evaluating injured patients and using regression analysis.Data extraction and synthesisTwo independent reviewers screened the search results, and assessed methodological quality using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool for prevalence studies. Results were collated and summarised using a narrative synthesis. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the repercussions of removing a study that did not meet the quality criteria.ResultsOf the 2184 studies yielded by this search, 1957 remained after the removal of duplicates. Seventy-eight studies underwent full-text screening leaving nine that met the eligibility criteria and were included in this study: five retrospective cohort studies; two prospective cohort studies; one cross-sectional study; and one case-control study. Different types of injuries were represented, including fractures, trauma and physical injuries related to falls, domestic violence or accidents. Sample sizes ranged from 200 to 1 259 809. Six studies included a geriatric population while three addressed a younger population. Of the four studies evaluating the relationship between injuries and frequent ED use, three reported an association. Additionally, of the five studies in which the dependent variable was return ED visits, three articles identified a positive association with injuries.ConclusionsPhysical injuries appear to be associated with frequent use of ED services (frequent ED attendance as well as return ED visits). Further research into factors including relevant youth-related covariates such as substance abuse and different types of traumas should be undertaken to bridge the gap in understanding this association.


Author(s):  
Emmanuel Abokyi ◽  
Dirk Strijker ◽  
Kofi Fred Asiedu ◽  
Michiel N. Daams

AbstractThis study investigates the possible causal relationship between buffer stock operations in Ghanaian agriculture and the well-being of smallholder farmers in a developing world setting. We analyze the differences in the objective and subjective well-being of smallholder farmers who do or do not participate in a buffer stock price stabilization policy initiative, using self-reported assessments of 507 farmers. We adopt a two-stage least square instrumental variable estimation to account for possible endogeneity. Our results provide evidence that participation in buffer stock operations improves the objective and subjective well-being of smallholder farmers by 20% and 15%, respectively. Also, with estimated coefficient of 1.033, we find a significant and robust relationship between objective well-being and subjective well-being among smallholder farmers. This relationship implies that improving objective well-being enhances the subjective well-being of the farmers. We also find that the activities of intermediaries decrease both the objective and subjective well-being of farmers. This study demonstrates that economic, social, and environmental aspects of agricultural life could constitute priorities for public policy in improving well-being, given their strong correlation with the well-being of farmers. Based on the results of this study, we provide a better understanding, which may aid policy-makers, that public buffer stockholding operations policy is a viable tool for improving the well-being of smallholder farmers in a developing country.


2021 ◽  
pp. 113988
Author(s):  
Thérèse McDonnell ◽  
Eilish McAuliffe ◽  
Emma Nicholson ◽  
Michael Barrett ◽  
Gerard Bury ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantin D. Pandl ◽  
Scott Thiebes ◽  
Manuel Schmidt-Kraepelin ◽  
Ali Sunyaev

AbstractTo combat the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries around the globe have adopted digital contact tracing apps. Various technologies exist to trace contacts that are potentially prone to different types of tracing errors. Here, we study the impact of different proximity detection ranges on the effectiveness and efficiency of digital contact tracing apps. Furthermore, we study a usage stop effect induced by a false positive quarantine. Our results reveal that policy makers should adjust digital contact tracing apps to the behavioral characteristics of a society. Based on this, the proximity detection range should at least cover the range of a disease spread, and be much wider in certain cases. The widely used Bluetooth Low Energy protocol may not necessarily be the most effective technology for contact tracing.


Author(s):  
Zheng Haolan ◽  
Isabella M. Campbell ◽  
Wayne C.W. Giang*

Using phones while walking has been a factor that has led to accidents and injuries. However, few studies have analyzed the propensity of injuries due to distracted walking for different age groups and in different types of walking environments. This study aims to examine the number of emergency department (ED) visits due to distracted walking across different age groups and walking environments using a publicly available dataset, the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database. The results suggest that there were an estimated 29140 distracted walking injuries between the years 2011-2019. Individuals between 11 and 20 years old had the most injuries, followed by 21 to 30, and 31 to 40. Furthermore, the proportion of estimated injuries that occurred in different walking environments differed across age groups. Safety-orient interventions for future research for stairs and home environments were also recommended in the present study.


2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (04) ◽  
pp. 1250025 ◽  
Author(s):  
LI SHEN

Currently, much attention is paid to the political aims and influence of Chinese outward investment, especially in developing Africa. This paper attempts to fill the knowledge-gap of international entrepreneurship literature by analyzing the entrepreneurial behavior of Chinese firms under the background of south-south economic cooperation. Through the case studies, we analyze the distinctive entrepreneurial behaviors and characters of different types of Chinese firms with high entrepreneurial spirits in Africa during the transitional time. After comparing the various entrepreneurial behaviors between Chinese and West investors, this paper sheds light on the potential positive roles of the entrepreneurial spirit, high risk-behavior and adaptability to foreign environment, which are necessary to successfully seek new, overseas entrepreneurial opportunities from an emerging market. Applications for firms' managers and policy makers are also offered.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 227-254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elim Papadakis ◽  
Clive Bean

AbstractApart from the preoccupation with raising revenue for the welfare state, the question of popular support is central to its future. Arguments about the prospects for the welfare state, about its social and political bases of support and about classifying different types of regime provide the context of our investigation. Our approach is to examine empirical evidence of the connection between support for the welfare state and (a) different types of regime and (b) social and political factors. The analysis of these relationships has important implications for policy-makers who are concerned about consent to their programmes and about the experiences of comparable regimes.


Author(s):  
David Baxter Bakibinga

Witness protection is now firmly entrenched in the modern criminal justice systems especially in jurisdictions dealing with organized and violent crime. The decision by the government of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas to enact legislation in respect to procedural and non-procedural measures for protection of witnesses is commendable, given that violent and organized crime is rife in the country. This article highlights the basic tenets of witness protection and the legal framework, both at the international and national level. It also addresses the role of key duty bearers in the process of witness protection. Furthermore the procedural and non-procedural measures taken by law enforcement officers in The Bahamas are explored. And lastly, the challenges encountered in the implementation of the witness protection measures in The Bahamas are examined. This is intended to aid policy makers, advisers and those entrusted with decision making, like parliamentarians, to devise means and ways to eradicate and/or mitigate challenges faced in the implementation of witness protection measures in The Bahamas.


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