Ali, SS

Ayub, S

Baqir, M

Qidwai, Waris

English

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eCommons@AKUDepartment of Family Medicine Medical College, PakistanJanuary 2004Level of preparedness of patients for medicalemergencyWaris QidwaiAga Khan University, waris.qidwai@aku.eduSS AliM BaqirS AyubFollow this and additional works at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_fam_medPart of the Family Medicine CommonsRecommended CitationQidwai, W., Ali, S., Baqir, M., Ayub, S. (2004). Level of preparedness of patients for medical emergency. Journal of College of Physiciansand Surgeons Pakistan, 14(3), 193-193.Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_fam_med/149waris Qidwai, Syed Sohail Ali', Muhammad Baqir" and semi Ayub *** Pakistan is a developing country having a total expenditure -~-- nhealth of 4.1% of gross domestic product.l The joint fami-&system that has existed in the country for centuries is show-ing signs of disintegration.2 Pakistan's average annual per cap-ital income is about US $ 5003, with a minimal emphasis on preventive aspects of healthcare.4 It is reported that patients in pakistan lack awareness with respect to urgency of a medical eroergency.5 In this situation, one can well imagine the dilemma ~f patients when faced with a medical emergency. A need was identified to collect information on the level of preparedness of patients for an unexpected medical emergency. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted at the Emer-gency Room, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, during March and April 2003. One hUlldred patients visiting the Emergency Room for the treatment of a medical emer-gency were surveyed. The average age of patients was 42 years, with 54 men and 46 women. The majority was married, well educated, house-wives or in private/ government services. Only those patients who were well enough to respond to ques-tions were interviewed. Seventy (70%) respondents had finan-cial resources available to meet the expenses of the medical emergency. Patients were accompanied by someone in 89% cases. The majority was accompanied by husband (20%), son (20%), brother (14%), father (08%), wife (06%), sister (06%), mother (05%), daughter(05%) or a friend (05%). Seventy-nine percent respondents felt that experiencing the present medical emergency will enable them to be better prepared for such events in the future. Since we conducfed the study at the Emergency Room of a teaching facility. and the study subjects were well-educated and socioeconomically better off, we cannot generalize the results to the population at large. We should not be surprised that 70% of the study subjects had the resources to pay for the expenses the medical emergency. Far less people in the community will be able to meet such expenses. ••••••••••••••• 0. ~ •••••••••• 0 0. 0 0 •••••• ~epartment of Family Medicine, The Aga Khan UniversiTy Hospital, Karachi. Department of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. "Section of Emergency Medicine, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. -Medical Student, Dow Medical College, Karachi. Correspondence: Dr. Waris Qidwai, Associate Professor, Family Medicine, The Aga Khan University, Stadium Road, P.O. Box 3500, Karachi-Pakistan. ~ :~~~~;,~,~;-~"'""" * A substantial number of respondents were not prepared for the medical emergency but had the support available from the family and friends. With the anticipated fragmentation of the joint family system in the country,2 such support is likely to decrease in the future. Help available from friends and employers was lacking and is unlikely to increase. The support from family members in the study was well sub-stantiated by the finding that the majority of the patients was accompanied by immediate relatives. Efforts are required to highlight the importance of close family ties to meet medical needs of families especially in the absence of support from the public or the private sector. There is a need to educate patients on the issue of preparing patients for any medical emergency. The question of medical insur-ance cover is very important but it must be realized that majority of our population will not be able to pay the premium costs. We have also found lack of preparedness for medical emergen-cies among our patient population, although there was strong family support. This will be useful for the policy makers and emergency room administrators. We strongly recommend patient education programs, further studies on the issue and strengthening of Emergency Medical Services in the corm try. Table 1: The findings of the survey are tabulated below. Question Patients score~ Total 2 3 4 5 Self-preparedness~· for the medical emergency 32 35 13 17 03 Help available~H from immediate family 02 12 86 Help available~H from extended family 14 14 43 17 12 Help available*H from friends 41 18 20 20 01 Help available··· from employers 79 11 09 01 too • {Minimum =01, Maximum =05). •• Self"preparedness for a medical emergency in terms of finance. availability of help as well as mental preparedness ••• Help available in terms of finance, logistics, physical and moral support. REFERENCES. 1. World Health Organization. Selected health indicators for Pakistan 2002 [cited 2003 Aug 21]. Available from: U R L: http:/ /www3. who. i nt/whosis/co u n try /indicators. cfm? cou n-try=PAK & language=english. 2. Chaudhry MB. Housing for the poor and the destitute. World Celt Internet Solution (WCIS) [Online]. Available from: URL: http: // megaeast.com/default.asp?section=business&page=poor.com. 3. USAID, Islamabad, Pakistan [Online]. 2003 [cited 2003 Aug 21]. Availablefrom: URL: http://www.usaid.gov/pubs/bj2001/ane/pk/ 4. Agboatwal!a M, Akram OS. Impact of health education on moth-ers' knowledge of preventive health practices. TropDoct 1997; 27: 199-202. 5. Razzak JA, Cone DC, Rehmani R. Emergency medical services and cultural determinants of an emergency in Karachi, Pakistan. Prehosp Emerg Care 2001; 5: 312-6. 193 ·r; 

Level of preparedness of patients for medical emergency

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Level of preparedness of patients for medical emergency

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