Clin Exp Emerg Med.  2019 Jun;6(2):138-143. 10.15441/ceem.18.023.

Factors associated with delayed emergency room visits in adult immigrant patients with mild abdominal pain in Korea

• Kim DY
• Kim DH
• Yoon HJ
• Lee WJ
• Woo SH
• Seol SH
• Kim HJ

• KMID: 2452986
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15441/ceem.18.023

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To determine the factors associated with unmet needs in immigrant patients complaining of abdominal pain, by analyzing those associated with the time from symptom onset to emergency room visit.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of immigrants with abdominal pain who visited a tertiary hospital emergency department from January to December 2016. The dependent variable was the time from symptom onset to emergency room visit. The independent variables were age, sex, vital signs, disposition, health insurance status, date of visit, time of visit, level of education, employment status, economic satisfaction, marital status, living with family, duration of residence, having a native spouse, and subjective proficiency in Korean. We analyzed the association of the dependent variable with each independent variable.
RESULTS
In total, 102 immigrant patients with abdominal pain were enrolled in this study. The patients who had earlier visits had good subjective proficiency in Korean, high economic satisfaction, longer durations of residence, a tendency to have a native spouse, and a high employment rate. After linear regression analysis, the time from symptom onset to emergency room visit was negatively associated with employment (adjusted odds ratio, -13.67; 95% confidence interval, -23.25 to -4.09; P=0.006) and having a native spouse (adjusted odds ratio, -11.7; 95% confidence interval, -20.61 to -2.8; P=0.011).
CONCLUSION
The factors influencing the time from symptom onset to emergency room visit in immigrant patients with abdominal pain are associated with social capital, which improves access to emergency care. Policies that improve immigrant access to emergency care should be considered.

Keyword

Emigrants and immigrants; Emergencies; Health services needs and demand

MeSH Terms

Abdominal Pain*
Adult*
Education
Emergencies*
Emergency Medical Services
Emergency Service, Hospital*
Emigrants and Immigrants*
Employment
Health Services Needs and Demand
Humans
Insurance, Health
Korea*
Linear Models
Marital Status
Medical Records
Odds Ratio
Retrospective Studies
Social Capital
Spouses
Tertiary Care Centers
Vital Signs