Factors associated with emergency department use in asthma: acute care interventions improving chronic disease outcomes.

Objective: To provide a literature review of the factors associated with childhood asthma-related emergency department (ED) visits and to identify elements of effective ED interventions that reduce the frequency of childhood ED visits while increasing primary health care utilization.

Data Source: English Medline articles from 1990 that cross-referenced with the terms asthma, emergency, intervention, pediatric, and/or acute care. Experts in the field of allergy and asthma were also consulted.

Study Selection: Childhood asthma interventions in the ED.

Results: Factors associated with childhood asthma-related ED visits include being impoverished, being exposed to allergens, receiving Medicaid or lacking insurance, being noncompliant with self-management skills, and having an African-American heritage. Other minorities may also be at risk, but further investigation is required to determine the extent. Attempts to link the patient to primary health care by the ED staff resulted in increased adherence to followup care.

Conclusions: The ED provides an opportunity to help patients and families deal with asthma to improve their quality of life. Further, current studies demonstrate that the ED is an appropriate setting for an intervention that links the patient back to the primary health care provider. More research is needed on the appropriate educational messages to be delivered in ED. Also, barriers to followup care and regular use of a primary health care provider need to be identified so that future intervention designs can address these issues.