Emergency services use determinants/ emergency in Maringá (PR)

Abstract

The present study was accomplished with the objective of analyzing the determining factors of the use of the Regional University Hospital of Maringá's Ready Attendance Unit's use, and it was conducted in two stages: in the first, having as data source the records of resident patients in Maringá from September 1st to 7th, 1997 (n=1319), the demand characterized and later classified, according to implicit approaches of evaluation, in pertinent or not pertinent to the Service (" false demand "). In the second stage, the users included in the " false demand ", chosen randomly, were interviewed in their homes, checking the reasons for the necessity of the Service. 1284 attendance records were auditaded, of which 387 cases (30,1%) were classified as "false demand". These cases were in their majority children of 0 to 12 years (43,3%) breathing pathologies (42,63%). 49 of those cases (12,7%) were then interviewed, in a maximum period of thirty days after the attendance. Of these, 40,8% didn't know how to inform correctly about their health problem; 60,5% used PA/HUM as first attendance; 34,9% used the basic system of health as first attendance, they didn't come back however because of barriers imposed by the services, for lack of credibility and dissatisfaction with the attendance. The health problem's solution, the proximity of the residence and the speed in the attendance were the main reasons to the use the health services.