ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to explore the experiences of individuals receiving emergency department (ED) care for acute headaches. BACKGROUND: Patients with headache exacerbations commonly present to EDs. This study explored the experiences of adult patients during the exacerbation period, specifically using photovoice. METHODS: Recruited from two urban EDs in Alberta, Canada, participants with primary headaches took photographs over 3-4 weeks and subsequently completed a 60-90 minute, one-on-one, in-person photo-elicitation interview. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed and thematically analyzed alongside photographs. RESULTS: Eight participants (six women) completed the study. The average age was 42 years (standard deviation: 16). Five themes emerged: (1) the struggle for legitimacy in light of the invisibility of their condition; (2) the importance of hope, hopelessness and fear in the day-to-day life of participants; (3) the importance of agency and becoming "your own advocate"; (4) the struggle to be and be seen as themselves despite the encroachment of their headaches; and (5) the realities of "good" and "bad" care in the ED. Participants highlighted examples of good care, specifically when they felt seen and believed. Additionally, some expressed the acute care space itself being a beacon of hope in the midst of their crisis. Others felt dismissed because providers "know it's not life or death." CONCLUSIONS: This study highlighted the substantial emotional impact that primary headaches have on the lives of participants, particularly during times of exacerbation and while seeking acute care. This provides insight for acute care settings and practitioners on how to effectively engage with this population.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This systematic review aimed to identify research involving adults presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a concussion to document the reporting of sex and/or gender according to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) guidelines, the prevalence of sex and gender-based analysis (SGBA) and to summarise sex and/or gender-based differences in ED presentation, management and outcomes. DESIGN: Systematic review. METHODS: Electronic databases and grey literature were searched to identify studies that recruited adult patients with concussion from the ED. Two independent reviewers identified eligible studies, assessed quality and extracted data. A descriptive summary of the evidence was generated, and sex and/or gender reporting was examined for accuracy according to standardised criteria. RESULTS: Overall, 126 studies were included in the analyses. A total of 80 (64%) studies reported sex and/or gender as demographic information, of which 51 (64%) included sex and/or gender in their analysis; however, 2 (3%) studies focused on an SGBA. Sex was more accurately reported in alignment with CIHR definitions than gender (94% vs 12%; p<0.0001). In total, 25 studies used an SGBA for outcomes of interest. Males and females experience different causes of concussion, 60% of studies documented that females had less frequent CT scanning while in the ED, and 57% of studies reported that postconcussion syndrome was more prevalent in females and women. CONCLUSION: This systematic review highlighted that sex is reported more accurately than gender, approximately half of studies did not report either sex and/or gender as demographic information, and one-third of studies did not include SGBA. There were important sex and gender differences in the cause, ED presentation, management and outcomes of concussions. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42021258613.