Abstract
Study objectives
To determine the main causes and consequences of abscondment of paediatric patients from the Emergency Department (ED) before obtaining appropriate treatment.
Methods
Records of all paediatrics patients (age group 0–12 years) who absconded from the ED of a tertiary level acute care hospital were traced and telephone interviews were conducted. The duration of study was from 1st July 1995 to 31st March 1996.
Results
177 out of 19,556 registered paediatrics patients absconded before obtaining adequate medical care. 139 (78.5%) patients had telephone interviews conducted. 81 (58.3%) patients absconded because of long waiting for medical attention. 26 (18.7%) patients left because their parents/guardians felt that the patient's condition had improved. 32 (23%) patients left the department for various other reasons. 94 (67.6%) patients subsequently sought medical attention elsewhere and 5 (3.6%) patients required in-patient treatment.
Conclusion
The paediatric abscondment rate was low. Most of these patients absconded from the ED because of relatively long waiting for medical attention. A large proportion of these patients could have been adequately treated in a primary care facility in the first instance.