Emergency service use by older people in Samsun, Turkey

During the first 50 years of the 21st century, the world population aged 65 and older is expected to triple. Proper care of the older patient is one of the major priorities of many health care systems. In this descriptive study, patients treated and transported by 112 Emergency Help and Rescue Service in Samsun Province during the year 2004 were surveyed through review of command center records. All patients who were 65 years of age and older were included in the study. Collected data included patient sex and age, number of patients accessing emergency medical service (EMS) per hours of the day and per season, clinical diagnosis, and patient outcomes. In all, 2210 patients aged 65 years and older were identified; this group accounted for 24.5% of all records reviewed (n=9015). The rate of EMS use was highest in those older than 65 years of age (26 of 1000/y). Similar associations of ambulance transportation with older age and off-hour presentation were noted, as was increased usage during colder months of the year. Cardiovascular, neurologic, and respiratory problems were the 3 most frequent reasons for use of EMS. In almost three fourths of cases, outcome was recorded as transport to the hospital. Data presented here highlight the need for continued monitoring of EMS usage patterns so that planners will be prepared to accommodate the needs of the increasingly aging population.