Predictors of emergency department and GP use among patients with mental health conditions: a public health survey


Saini, Pooja, McIntyre, Jason ORCID: 0000-0002-5601-524X, Corcoran, Rhiannon ORCID: 0000-0001-8900-9199, Daras, Konstantinos ORCID: 0000-0002-4573-4628, Giebel, Clarissa ORCID: 0000-0002-0746-0566, Fuller, Elizabeth, Shelton, Jane, Wilson, Timothy, Comerford, Terence, Nathan, Rajan et al (show 1 more authors) (2020) Predictors of emergency department and GP use among patients with mental health conditions: a public health survey BRITISH JOURNAL OF GENERAL PRACTICE, 70 (690). E1-E8. ISSN 0960-1643, 1478-5242

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Abstract

Background High demand for health services is an issue of current importance in England, in part because of the rapidly increasing use of emergency departments (EDs) and GP practices for mental health conditions and the high cost of these services. Aim To examine the social determinants of health service use in people with mental health issues. Design and setting Twenty-eight neighbourhoods, each with a population of 5000–10 000 people, in the north west coast of England with differing levels of deprivation. Method A comprehensive public health survey was conducted, comprising questions on housing, physical health, mental health, lifestyle, social issues, environment, work, and finances. Poisson regression models assessed the effect of mental health comorbidity, mental and physical health comorbidity, and individual mental health symptoms on ED and general practice attendances, adjusting for relevant socioeconomic and lifestyle factors. Results Participants who had both a physical and mental health condition reported attending the ED (rate ratio [RR] = 4.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.86 to 7.51) and general practice (RR = 3.82, 95% CI = 3.16 to 4.62) more frequently than all other groups. Having a higher number of mental health condition symptoms was associated with higher general practice and ED service use. Depression was the only mental health condition symptom that was significantly associated with ED attendance (RR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.05 to 1.90), and anxiety was the only symptom significantly associated with GP attendance (RR = 1.19, 95% CI = 1.03 to 1.38). Conclusion Mental health comorbidities increase the risk of attendances to both EDs and general practice. Further research into the social attributes that contribute to reduced ED and general practice attendance rates is needed.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: emergency departments, mental health, primary care, service use, social care
Depositing User: Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited: 14 Aug 2019 14:22
Last Modified: 16 Jun 2026 14:18
DOI: 10.3399/bjgp19X707093
Open Access URL: http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/11109/
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URI: https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3050110
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