TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of armed conflict on access to emergency health care in Palestinian West Bank
T2 - systematic collection of data in emergency departments
AU - Rytter, Maren Johanne Heilskov
AU - Kjaeldgaard, Anne-Lene
AU - Brønnum-Hansen, Henrik
AU - Helweg-Larsen, Karin
PY - 2006/5/13
Y1 - 2006/5/13
N2 - OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of restrictions in access to hospital services imposed on the civilian population during the armed conflict in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel.DESIGN: Consecutive registration of demographic and medical data, with information about transportation time, delay in access to hospital, and course of hospital contact.SETTING: Three hospital emergency departments in Bethlehem and Nablus, in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, during one week in each hospital.PARTICIPANTS: All patients seeking health care in the three hospitals during the study period.RESULTS: A total of 394 of the 2228 emergency department contacts reported being delayed at checkpoints or by detours on their way to the emergency department. Hospital admission was significantly more common for these patients: 32% (n = 125) compared with 13% (n = 205) among those who were not delayed.CONCLUSION: 18% of the emergency department contacts were delayed because of the occupation. The higher hospital admission rate in this group suggests that restrictions in access to hospital services influence the severity of the medical conditions presented.
AB - OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of restrictions in access to hospital services imposed on the civilian population during the armed conflict in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel.DESIGN: Consecutive registration of demographic and medical data, with information about transportation time, delay in access to hospital, and course of hospital contact.SETTING: Three hospital emergency departments in Bethlehem and Nablus, in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, during one week in each hospital.PARTICIPANTS: All patients seeking health care in the three hospitals during the study period.RESULTS: A total of 394 of the 2228 emergency department contacts reported being delayed at checkpoints or by detours on their way to the emergency department. Hospital admission was significantly more common for these patients: 32% (n = 125) compared with 13% (n = 205) among those who were not delayed.CONCLUSION: 18% of the emergency department contacts were delayed because of the occupation. The higher hospital admission rate in this group suggests that restrictions in access to hospital services influence the severity of the medical conditions presented.
KW - Civil Disorders/statistics & numerical data
KW - Emergency Medical Services/standards
KW - Health Services Accessibility/standards
KW - Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data
KW - Humans
KW - Middle East
KW - Time Factors
KW - Warfare
U2 - 10.1136/bmj.38793.695081.AE
DO - 10.1136/bmj.38793.695081.AE
M3 - Article
C2 - 16585049
SN - 0959-8146
VL - 332
SP - 1122
EP - 1124
JO - BMJ (Clinical research ed.)
JF - BMJ (Clinical research ed.)
IS - 7550
ER -