Factors affecting prehospital time delay of the injured patients arriving at the Emergency Department of Beni-Suef University Hospital in Egypt: A cross-sectional study

PLoS One. 2021 Jun 2;16(6):e0252044. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252044. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the factors affecting the prehospital time delay of the injured patients arriving at the Emergency Department of Beni-Suef University Hospital in Upper Egypt.

Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, the following data were retrieved from the hospital records of 632 injured patients between 1/1/2018 and 31/3/2018: age, sex, residence, means of transportation to the hospital, prehospital time delay, consciousness level on admission, source of injury, and type of worst injury.

Results: The prehospital time delay (>one hour) of the injured patients was positively associated with age >60 years and rural residence but inversely associated with consciousness level with odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of 5.14 (2.26-11.68), 3.49 (2.22-5.48), and 0.56 (0.32-0.96), respectively.

Conclusion: The prehospital time delay of the injured patients arriving at the Emergency Department of Beni-Suef University Hospital in Egypt was associated with old age, rural residence, and consciousness level.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Egypt / epidemiology
  • Emergency Medical Services / standards*
  • Emergency Service, Hospital / standards*
  • Female
  • Hospitals, University / standards*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Time-to-Treatment / standards*
  • Transportation of Patients
  • Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology
  • Wounds and Injuries / therapy*
  • Young Adult

Grants and funding

The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.