Emergency Department Presentations of Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

Abstract

This paper explains how routinely collected data can be used to examine the emergency department attendances of Victorian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The data reported in the Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) for the 2006/2007 financial year were analysed. The presentations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal people were compared in terms of age, gender, hospital location (metropolitan and rural) and presenting condition. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were found to attend the emergency department 1.8 times more often than non-Aboriginal people. While the emergency department presentation rates of metropolitan Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal people were similar, rural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people presented to the emergency department 2.3 times more often than non-Aboriginal people. The injuries or poisonings, respiratory conditions and mental disorders presentation rates of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Aboriginal population were compared. No previous studies have assessed the accuracy of the Indigenous status and diagnosis fields in the VEMD; therefore the quality of this data is unknown.

Hospital use in Aboriginal and non‐Aboriginal patients with chronic disease

“…4,5,17 The differences observed were lower than those observed here 4 and sometimes restricted to individuals living in regional areas 5 or in younger cohorts. 4,5,17 The differences observed were lower than those observed here 4 and sometimes restricted to individuals living in regional areas 5 or in younger cohorts.…”

Characteristics of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander presentations to three Victorian emergency departments

“…In the only other Victorian study to examine their characteristics, rural ATSI had higher standardised population ED presentation rates, whereas urban ATSI had similar standardised population presentation rates to non‐ATSI. Poor ATSI status identification was a possible reason, given that no difference was found in presentation rates in urban ATSI . In an analysis of 2010–2011 Victorian Emergency Minimum Dataset (VEMD) data, no difference in presentation rates between ATSI and non‐ATSI people was found for three hospitals in Melbourne's northern suburbs, but only triage categories 4 and 5 patients were analysed .…”

“…One previous study found that ATSI people had higher rates of population‐adjusted mental health presentations, similar rates of population‐adjusted respiratory disease presentations, and lower rates of population‐adjusted injury or poisoning presentations to metropolitan EDs compared with non‐ATSI people . Their findings are reflected in the results of the present study.…”

“…The majority of studies examining Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) presentations and outcomes to EDs have been undertaken in the Northern Territory and New South Wales . One Victorian study analysed ATSI presentations to Victorian hospital EDs, but only reported total presentation rates and rates by respiratory, injury and poisoning, and mental health presentations . Little is known about Victorian ATSI presentations and outcomes within Victorian EDs.…”

When chronic conditions become emergencies – a report from regional Queensland

“…Differences also exist by remoteness. A recent study comparing emergency presentations of Victorian Indigenous people with non‐Indigenous people during the 2006/2007 financial year found that while presentation rates in metropolitan areas were similar, Indigenous people (684 per 1000) in rural areas presented 2.3 times more often than non‐Indigenous people (297 per 1000) 25. Authors state this reflects higher rates for injury and poisoning, respiratory conditions and mental disorders in these areas.…”