Editor’s note: Annals has partnered with a small group of selected journals of international emergency medicine societies to share from each a highlighted research study, as selected monthly by their editors. Our goals are to increase awareness of our readership to research developments in the international emergency medicine literature, promote collaboration among the selected international emergency medicine journals, and support the improvement of emergency medicine world-wide, as described in the WAME statement at http://www.wame.org/about/policy-statements#Promoting%20Global%20Health .
African Journal of Emergency Medicine
Official Journal of the African Federation for Emergency Medicine, the Emergency Medicine Association of Tanzania, the Emergency Medicine Society of South Africa, the Egyptian Society of Emergency Medicine, the Libyan Emergency Medicine Association, the Ethiopian Society of Emergency Medicine Professionals, the Sudanese Emergency Medicine Society, the Society of Emergency Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria and the Rwanda Emergency Care Association
Seeking health care from a general hospital in Uganda following a fracture or a dislocation
Kajja I, Smit Sibinga CT. Seeking health care from a general hospital in Uganda following a fracture or a dislocation. Afr J Emerg Med. 2016;6:174-179.
Introduction
Selecting a treatment approach and a facility to get treated from, poses a challenge in musculoskeletal injuries in Africa. The study aimed at determining demographic and injury characteristics of patients with musculoskeletal injuries and how these impact the time and reason for presenting to a general hospital in Uganda.
Methods
An observational study was carried out at Entebbe general hospital on patients presenting with musculoskeletal injuries between 1 November 2014 and 28 February 2015. The patient demographics, injury characteristics, duration of injury to presentation for treatment and reason for seeking treatment from this hospital were noted.
Results
A total of 101 patients were recruited. Of these, 95 had fractures while six had dislocations. Patients took an average of 96 h before presenting for care, females taking significantly longer than males (191.2 and 58.6 h respectively, p = 0.005). The fractured segment of bone significantly influenced the patients’ choice for care at this hospital (p = 0.02).
Conclusion
Entebbe General Hospital serves a young and unemployed population for musculoskeletal injuries. These patients present late for care, especially females. Patients base their choice for care from this hospital on the character of the injury.
Reproduced with permission.
Emergencias
Related posts:
Association Between the Opening of Retail Clinics and Low-Acuity Emergency Department Visits
Where Do Freestanding Emergency Departments Choose to Locate? A National Inventory and Geographic Analysis in Three States
Bending the Curve of Health Trajectories for Older Adults Discharged From the Emergency Department
Yet Another
Sedating the Agitated Patient: A Moving Target?
Classified 2017 Advertising Rates & Information
Full access? Get Clinical Tree
