Public awareness of triage in emergency departments in Saudi Arabia in the era of COVID-19

Abstract

Background: There is an increasing demand for services from the emergency department (EDs), which has limited resources. The triage process is the key determining step for prioritization in EDs, especially during pandemics. This study aimed to assess public awareness of the triage process in EDs and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on awareness levels. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed from August to October 2020. Data were collected using an online survey that was randomly distributed to the public in Saudi Arabia using social media. Results: Of the 1,047 people who received the survey, 687 (66%) completed it. The majority of the respondents (80%) knew why some patients were taken to a room before others, even though they may not have waited as long, and 85.3% thought this was fair. However, only 52% knew exactly what triage meant. Some factors seemed to significantly influence the level of awareness, such as age group [p value = 0.001 and odds ratio (OR) = 0.170], gender (p value = 0.001 and OR = 0.170), employment (p value < 0.001 and OR = 4.904), and region of residency (p value = 0.005 and OR = 2.556). The COVID-19 pandemic did not affect participants' general knowledge about triage (p value = 0.555, OR = 1.122). Conclusion: The majority of the respondents were aware of the triage process in EDs and thought it was fair. However, there is an existing need for more information when visiting EDs, especially after going through the triage process. ED visitors' expectations of more clarification and communication should be addressed by the responsible administrations.

Assessing the Awareness and Understanding of Hospital Triage Among the General Population of Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia

“…Additionally, over a third of respondents expected a reasonable waiting time to see a doctor to be between five to 10 minutes, with a similar percentage anticipating a 10 to 20-minute wait, whereas only a tenth expected it to be under five minutes. Alsulimani et al [28] found comparable results, with 52% of Saudi participants having an accurate understanding of triage. The study also noted that 80% understood the reason why some patients received quicker access to a room, and 85.3% deemed this prioritization fair.…”

Is the Triage System Welcomed in the Tertiary Hospital of the Limpopo Province? A Qualitative Study on Patient’s Perceptions

“…It is noteworthy that triaging every patient entering the emergency room was deemed essential by 280 (73%) participants, and 262 (69.50%) participants believe that triage efficiently identifies sick patients and provides prompt management in a study conducted by Rijal and Adhikari in Nepal [ 40 ]. Equally, in the study by Alsulimani (2022), the majority of respondents (80%) understood why some patients were taken to a room before others, despite having waited less, and 85.3% thought this was fair [ 41 ]. Though the triage system is perceived as efficient and practiced, there is still a need for emergency department staff to improve communication regarding the waiting time.…”

“…For this reason, their paper recommends training emergency nurses in more effective communication skills for modifying help-seeking behavior. In Saudi Arabia, respondents desired more general health information and information about their visit [ 41 ]. These expectations should be met through public health campaigns or brochures distributed in emergency rooms.…”