Why adolescents seek emergency care: a descriptive study from a national district hospital in South Africa
1
Family Medicine and Public Health, University of the Free State Bloemfontein, Bloemfontein, South Africa
2
Global Health Services, Public Health, Anne Aide Consulting, Lagos, Nigeria
3
School of Psychology, Social work and Public Health, Faculty of Health and Life sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2017
ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION:
Adolescents are a key public health group due to their susceptibility to injury, acute illness, and psychosocial crises. Although they constitute nearly 18% of South Africa’s population, their needs are often overlooked within healthcare systems. Emergency departments (EDs) frequently serve as the first point of contact for adolescents requiring urgent care. This study aimed to describe the pattern of adolescent presentations to the ED.
METHODS:
A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the National District Hospital (NDH), Bloemfontein, Free State Province, South Africa. All adolescents aged 13–21 years who presented to the ED between January and December 2019 were included. Data were extracted from the ED register; incomplete records were excluded. Variables included demographics, presenting complaints, and outcomes. Relevant ethical approvals were obtained.
RESULTS:
Of the 1070 cases included in the study, 89.5% were self-referred, and 47.7% waited more than 180 minutes. Medical emergencies accounted for 55.1% of presentations, followed by trauma (15.2%), gynaecological/pregnancy-related (7.7%), mental health (6.6%), and urological (6.4%) emergencies. Patients seen by more junior doctors experienced longer stays (p=0.025). Waiting time was significantly associated with outcome (p<0.001); 10 of 22 patients who absconded, and the one patient that died had waited over 180 minutes. Less urgent cases waited longer (p<0.001), while highly urgent cases (P1) were attended by more junior doctors (p=0.002). No significant association was found between attending doctor and outcome (p=0.263). Weekday presentations had longer waits compared to weekends/public holidays (p=0.024).
CONCLUSIONS:
Adolescent ED presentations involve diverse medical and psychosocial needs. Enhancing ED capacity in adolescent-focused care—particularly mental and reproductive health—along with improved triage and targeted health promotion, may reduce adverse outcomes in this vulnerable group.
Adolescents are a key public health group due to their susceptibility to injury, acute illness, and psychosocial crises. Although they constitute nearly 18% of South Africa’s population, their needs are often overlooked within healthcare systems. Emergency departments (EDs) frequently serve as the first point of contact for adolescents requiring urgent care. This study aimed to describe the pattern of adolescent presentations to the ED.
METHODS:
A retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the National District Hospital (NDH), Bloemfontein, Free State Province, South Africa. All adolescents aged 13–21 years who presented to the ED between January and December 2019 were included. Data were extracted from the ED register; incomplete records were excluded. Variables included demographics, presenting complaints, and outcomes. Relevant ethical approvals were obtained.
RESULTS:
Of the 1070 cases included in the study, 89.5% were self-referred, and 47.7% waited more than 180 minutes. Medical emergencies accounted for 55.1% of presentations, followed by trauma (15.2%), gynaecological/pregnancy-related (7.7%), mental health (6.6%), and urological (6.4%) emergencies. Patients seen by more junior doctors experienced longer stays (p=0.025). Waiting time was significantly associated with outcome (p<0.001); 10 of 22 patients who absconded, and the one patient that died had waited over 180 minutes. Less urgent cases waited longer (p<0.001), while highly urgent cases (P1) were attended by more junior doctors (p=0.002). No significant association was found between attending doctor and outcome (p=0.263). Weekday presentations had longer waits compared to weekends/public holidays (p=0.024).
CONCLUSIONS:
Adolescent ED presentations involve diverse medical and psychosocial needs. Enhancing ED capacity in adolescent-focused care—particularly mental and reproductive health—along with improved triage and targeted health promotion, may reduce adverse outcomes in this vulnerable group.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
