Ability of the Australian general public to identify common emergency medical situations: Results of an online survey of a nationally representative sample

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the Australian general public's ability to identify common medical emergencies as requiring an emergency response.

Methods: An online survey asked participants to identify likely medical treatment pathways they would take for 17 hypothetical medical scenarios (eight emergency and nine non-emergency). The number and type of emergency scenarios participants correctly suggested warranted an emergency medical response was examined. Participants included Australian residents (aged>18 years; n = 5264) who had never worked as an Australian registered medical doctor, nurse or paramedic.

Results: Most emergencies were predominately correctly classified as requiring emergency responses (e.g. Severe chest pain, 95% correct). However, non-emergency medical responses were often chosen for some emergency scenarios, such as a child suffering from a scalp haematoma (67%), potential meningococcal disease (57%), a box jellyfish sting (40%), a paracetamol overdose (37%), and mild chest pain (26%). Participants identifying as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander suggested a non-emergency response to emergency scenarios 29% more often compared with non-indigenous participants.

Conclusions: Educational interventions targeting specific medical symptoms may work to alleviate delayed emergency medical intervention. This research highlights a particular need for improving symptom identification and healthcare system confidence amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.

Keywords: Ambulance; Emergency; Emergency department; Recognition; Symptom.