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COVID-19 pandemisinin tıbbi tavsiyeye aykırı taburcu edilmelere etkisi: geriye dönük bir çalışma

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 4, 542 - 545, 30.07.2025
https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1685803

Abstract

Giriş:
Bu çalışma, COVID-19 pandemisinin acil serviste (AS) taburcu olmadan hastaneden ayrılma (DAMA) insidansı üzerindeki etkisini değerlendirmeyi ve pandemi öncesi ile pandemi dönemlerindeki DAMA hastalarının klinik ve demografik özelliklerini karşılaştırmayı amaçlamaktadır.

Yöntemler:
Bu retrospektif, gözlemsel ve kesitsel çalışma, COVID-19 salgını sırasında pandemi merkezi olarak belirlenen İstanbul, Türkiye'deki üçüncü basamak bir hastanenin acil servisinde yürütülmüştür. Çalışmaya, 1 Mart 2020 ile 1 Mart 2021 tarihleri arasında acil servise başvuran ve DAMA olarak sınıflandırılan hastalar dahil edilmiştir. Aynı dahil edilme ve dışlanma kriterleri kullanılarak, pandemi öncesi dönemi temsil eden bir kontrol grubu oluşturulmuştur (1 Mart 2018 – 1 Mart 2019).

Bulgular:
Pandemi döneminde hastanemizdeki toplam acil servis başvuru sayısı, pandemi öncesi döneme kıyasla %19,4 oranında azalırken, DAMA vaka sayısı %28,4 oranında artmıştır. DAMA vakaları arasında, pandemi döneminde yaşlı hasta oranında artış gözlemlenmiştir. Ayrıca, gece vardiyalarında gerçekleşen DAMA vakalarının oranında da istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir artış saptanmıştır (%38,0 vs. %55,5; p < 0,001). Pandemi döneminde DAMA hastaları arasında hipertansiyon (%19,8 vs. %6,3; p < 0,001) ve diabetes mellitus (%16,2 vs. %7,7; p = 0,001) prevalansı anlamlı şekilde artmıştır. Ayrıca, kardiyoloji (%8,9 vs. %4,2; p = 0,011) ve enfeksiyon hastalıkları (%8,4 vs. %2,7; p < 0,001) konsültasyonu istenen hasta oranlarında da artış gözlenmiştir.

Sonuçlar:
COVID-19 pandemisi, acil serviste DAMA oranlarında anlamlı bir artışa yol açmıştır. Bu artış, özellikle yaşlı hastalar, diyabet ve hipertansiyon öyküsü olan bireyler ile kardiyoloji veya enfeksiyon hastalıkları konsültasyonu istenen hastalar arasında daha belirgin olmuştur.

Supporting Institution

yok

References

  • Machin LL, Goodwin D, Warriner D. An alternative view of self-discharge against medical advice: an opportunity to demonstrate empathy, empowerment, and care. Qual Health Res. 2018;28(5):702-710. doi:10.1177/1049732318754514
  • Dubow D, Propp D, Narasimhan K. Emergency department discharges against medical advice. J Emerg Med. 1992;10(4):513-516. doi:10.1016/ 0736-4679(92)90289-6
  • Shirani F, Jalili M, Asl-E-Soleimani H. Discharge against medical advice from emergency department: results from a tertiary care hospital in Tehran, Iran. Eur J Emerg Med. 2010;17(6):318-321. doi:10.1097/MEJ. 0b013e3283334ef1
  • Southern WN, Nahvi S, Arnsten, JH. Increased risk of mortality and readmission among patients discharged against medical advice. Am J Med. 2012;125(6):594-602. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2011.12.017
  • Robinson K, Lam B. Early emergency department representations. Emerg Med Australas. 2013;25(2):140-146. doi:10.1111/1742-6723.12048
  • Levy F, Mareiniss DP, Iacovelli C. The importance of a proper against-medical-advice (AMA) discharge: how signing out AMA may create significant liability protection for providers. J Emerg Med. 2012;43(3): 516-520. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2011.05.030
  • Quinlan WC, Majoros N. Patients leaving against medical advice: assessing the liability risk. J Healthc Risk Manag. 1993;13(1):19-22. doi: 10.1002/jhrm.5600130106
  • İlhan B, Bozdereli Berikol G, Aydın H, Arslan Erduhan M, Doğan H. COVID-19 outbreak impact on emergency trauma visits and trauma surgery in a level 3 trauma center. Ir J Med Sci. 2022;191(5):2319-2324. doi:10.1007/s11845-021-02793-y
  • Lange SJ, Ritchey MD, Goodman AB, et al. Potential indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on use of emergency departments for acute life-threatening conditions-United States, January-May 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69(25):795-800. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm 6925e2
  • Beştemir A, Aydın H, Tuncar A. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency surgical operations in state hospitals in Turkey: a retrospective and descriptive study. Euras J Emerg Med. 2023;22:1.
  • Aydin H, Doğan H. COVID-19 outbreak impact on discharge against medical advice from the ED: a retrospective study. Am J Emerg Med. 2022;57:21-26. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2022.04.008
  • Mafham MM, Spata E, Goldacre R, et al. COVID-19 pandemic and admission rates for and management of acute coronary syndromes in England. Lancet. 2020;396(10248):381-389. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20) 31356-8
  • Diegoli H, Magalhães PS, Martins SC, et al. Decrease in hospital admissions for transient ischemic attack, mild, and moderate stroke during the COVID-19 era. Stroke. 2020;51(8):2315-2321. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.030481
  • Reschen ME, Bowen J, Novak A, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department attendances and acute medical admissions. BMC Emerg Med. 2021;21(1):143. doi:10.1186/s12873-021-00529-w
  • Adefemi SA, Adeleke IT, Gara P, Ghaney OOA, Omokanye SA, Yusuf AMJ. The rate, reasons and predictors of hospital discharge against medical advice among inpatients of a tertiary health facility in North-central Nigeria. Am J Health Res. 2015;3(1):11-16. doi:10.11648/j.ajhr.s. 2015030101.12
  • Aydın H, Berikol GB, Koçak M, Doğan H. The effect of variants and vaccines on prognosis in coronavirus disease 2019 patients: a retrospective observational study. Anat Clin J Med Sci. 2022;27(3): 293-301. doi:10.21673/anadoluklin.1061232
  • Rasi S. Impact of language barriers on access to healthcare services by immigrant patients: a systematic review. Asia Pacific J Health Manag. 2020;15(1):35-48.
  • Benschop A, Van Bakkum F, Noijen J. Changing patterns of substance use during the coronavirus pandemic: self-reported use of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs. Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:633551. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.633551
  • Manthey J, Kilian C, Carr S, et al. Use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other substances during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Europe: a survey on 36,000 European substance users. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2021;16:1-11. doi:10.1186/s13011-021-00373-y
  • Aydın H, Beştemir A, Berikol GB, Doğan H. Pandemi hastanesinin acil servisine başvuran hastaların analizi: bir retrospektif Türkiye çalışması. Tıbbi Sos Hizmet Derg. 2022;19:76-85. doi:10.46218/tshd.1106381
  • Silbergleit R, Kronick SL, Philpott S, Lowell MJ, Wagner C. Quality of emergency care on the night shift. Acad Emerg Med. 2006;13(3):325-330. doi:10.1197/j.aem.2005.09.005

Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on discharges against medical advice: a retrospective study

Year 2025, Volume: 8 Issue: 4, 542 - 545, 30.07.2025
https://doi.org/10.32322/jhsm.1685803

Abstract

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of discharge against medical advice (DAMA) in the emergency department (ED) and to compare the clinical and demographic characteristics of DAMA patients between the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods.
Methods: This retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted in the ED of a tertiary care hospital in Istanbul, Turkey, which was designated as a pandemic center during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study included patients who presented to the ED between March 1, 2020, and March 1, 2021, and were classified as DAMA. A control group representing the corresponding pre-pandemic period (March 1, 2018-March 1, 2019) was established using the same inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Results: During the pandemic period, the total number of ED visits at our hospital decreased by 19.4% compared to the pre-pandemic period, while the number of DAMA cases increased by 28.4%. Among DAMA cases, an increase in the proportion of elderly patients was observed during the pandemic. There was also a statistically significant rise in the proportion of DAMA cases occurring during night shifts (38.0% vs. 55.5%; p<0.001). Furthermore, during the pandemic, the prevalence of hypertension (19.8% vs. 6.3%; p<0.001) and diabetes mellitus (16.2% vs. 7.7%; p=0.001) among DAMA patients increased significantly. The proportion of patients for whom cardiology (8.9% vs. 4.2%; p=0.011) and infectious diseases (8.4% vs. 2.7%; p<0.001) consultations were requested also showed increase during the pandemic period.
Conclusion: COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant increase in the rate of DAMA in the ED. This increase was particularly pronounced among elderly patients, individuals with a history of diabetes or hypertension, and those for whom cardiology or infectious disease consultations were requested.

Ethical Statement

Ethics Committee Approval This study was approved by the ………. Ethics Committee (Date: 02.04.2025, Decision No: 2025/6). All procedures were conducted in accordance with ethical guidelines and the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed Consent All patients signed and free and informed consent form. Conflict of Interest Statement The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare. Financial Disclosure The authors declared that this study has received no financial support. Author Contributions All of the authors declare that they have all participated in the design, execution, and analysis of the paper, and that they have approved the final version.

Supporting Institution

No

References

  • Machin LL, Goodwin D, Warriner D. An alternative view of self-discharge against medical advice: an opportunity to demonstrate empathy, empowerment, and care. Qual Health Res. 2018;28(5):702-710. doi:10.1177/1049732318754514
  • Dubow D, Propp D, Narasimhan K. Emergency department discharges against medical advice. J Emerg Med. 1992;10(4):513-516. doi:10.1016/ 0736-4679(92)90289-6
  • Shirani F, Jalili M, Asl-E-Soleimani H. Discharge against medical advice from emergency department: results from a tertiary care hospital in Tehran, Iran. Eur J Emerg Med. 2010;17(6):318-321. doi:10.1097/MEJ. 0b013e3283334ef1
  • Southern WN, Nahvi S, Arnsten, JH. Increased risk of mortality and readmission among patients discharged against medical advice. Am J Med. 2012;125(6):594-602. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2011.12.017
  • Robinson K, Lam B. Early emergency department representations. Emerg Med Australas. 2013;25(2):140-146. doi:10.1111/1742-6723.12048
  • Levy F, Mareiniss DP, Iacovelli C. The importance of a proper against-medical-advice (AMA) discharge: how signing out AMA may create significant liability protection for providers. J Emerg Med. 2012;43(3): 516-520. doi:10.1016/j.jemermed.2011.05.030
  • Quinlan WC, Majoros N. Patients leaving against medical advice: assessing the liability risk. J Healthc Risk Manag. 1993;13(1):19-22. doi: 10.1002/jhrm.5600130106
  • İlhan B, Bozdereli Berikol G, Aydın H, Arslan Erduhan M, Doğan H. COVID-19 outbreak impact on emergency trauma visits and trauma surgery in a level 3 trauma center. Ir J Med Sci. 2022;191(5):2319-2324. doi:10.1007/s11845-021-02793-y
  • Lange SJ, Ritchey MD, Goodman AB, et al. Potential indirect effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on use of emergency departments for acute life-threatening conditions-United States, January-May 2020. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2020;69(25):795-800. doi:10.15585/mmwr.mm 6925e2
  • Beştemir A, Aydın H, Tuncar A. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency surgical operations in state hospitals in Turkey: a retrospective and descriptive study. Euras J Emerg Med. 2023;22:1.
  • Aydin H, Doğan H. COVID-19 outbreak impact on discharge against medical advice from the ED: a retrospective study. Am J Emerg Med. 2022;57:21-26. doi:10.1016/j.ajem.2022.04.008
  • Mafham MM, Spata E, Goldacre R, et al. COVID-19 pandemic and admission rates for and management of acute coronary syndromes in England. Lancet. 2020;396(10248):381-389. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(20) 31356-8
  • Diegoli H, Magalhães PS, Martins SC, et al. Decrease in hospital admissions for transient ischemic attack, mild, and moderate stroke during the COVID-19 era. Stroke. 2020;51(8):2315-2321. doi:10.1161/STROKEAHA.120.030481
  • Reschen ME, Bowen J, Novak A, et al. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on emergency department attendances and acute medical admissions. BMC Emerg Med. 2021;21(1):143. doi:10.1186/s12873-021-00529-w
  • Adefemi SA, Adeleke IT, Gara P, Ghaney OOA, Omokanye SA, Yusuf AMJ. The rate, reasons and predictors of hospital discharge against medical advice among inpatients of a tertiary health facility in North-central Nigeria. Am J Health Res. 2015;3(1):11-16. doi:10.11648/j.ajhr.s. 2015030101.12
  • Aydın H, Berikol GB, Koçak M, Doğan H. The effect of variants and vaccines on prognosis in coronavirus disease 2019 patients: a retrospective observational study. Anat Clin J Med Sci. 2022;27(3): 293-301. doi:10.21673/anadoluklin.1061232
  • Rasi S. Impact of language barriers on access to healthcare services by immigrant patients: a systematic review. Asia Pacific J Health Manag. 2020;15(1):35-48.
  • Benschop A, Van Bakkum F, Noijen J. Changing patterns of substance use during the coronavirus pandemic: self-reported use of tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs. Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:633551. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.633551
  • Manthey J, Kilian C, Carr S, et al. Use of alcohol, tobacco, cannabis, and other substances during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Europe: a survey on 36,000 European substance users. Subst Abuse Treat Prev Policy. 2021;16:1-11. doi:10.1186/s13011-021-00373-y
  • Aydın H, Beştemir A, Berikol GB, Doğan H. Pandemi hastanesinin acil servisine başvuran hastaların analizi: bir retrospektif Türkiye çalışması. Tıbbi Sos Hizmet Derg. 2022;19:76-85. doi:10.46218/tshd.1106381
  • Silbergleit R, Kronick SL, Philpott S, Lowell MJ, Wagner C. Quality of emergency care on the night shift. Acad Emerg Med. 2006;13(3):325-330. doi:10.1197/j.aem.2005.09.005
There are 21 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Emergency Medicine
Journal Section Original Article
Authors

Ali Sarıdaş 0000-0002-2725-6001

Publication Date July 30, 2025
Submission Date April 28, 2025
Acceptance Date May 26, 2025
Published in Issue Year 2025 Volume: 8 Issue: 4

Cite

AMA Sarıdaş A. Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on discharges against medical advice: a retrospective study. J Health Sci Med / JHSM. July 2025;8(4):542-545. doi:10.32322/jhsm.1685803

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