Sex and employment status affect patients' perspectives regarding affordability of emergency department visits.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: For many conditions, a timely visit to the Emergency Department (ED) can have a tremendous impact on the patient's outcome. However, the decision to visit the ED in a time of need can be stressful. Our study aims to understand whether cost was a factor for seeking ED care, and if any particular subgroups including race, ethnicity and sex were less likely to obtain such care. METHODS: A web-based survey of US adults was conducted to assess participants' ED access, estimates of the cost of visiting, and their overall levels of comfort in seeking emergency care. Statistical analyses performed in JMP 16.1 for the Mac. RESULTS: Multivariate regression modeling demonstrated that women (p = 0.0241), participants employed for wages (p = 0.0257), or self-employed (p = 0.0019) are less likely to visit the ED due to cost. Conversely, retired individuals are significantly less likely to encounter cost as a restriction (p = 0.0081). CONCLUSION: In a national survey sample that asked about whether cost was a factor in visiting the emergency department, women and people who worked for wages or were self-employed were most likely to think twice about cost.