Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 15, 2026
Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation
Published on: January 17, 2011
The increasing use of pediatric emergency facilities in the evening
Taka Matsumura1, Kenji Ohshige, Kenichi Tsuchida
1Department of Public Health, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan. taka7taka2001@yahoo.co.jp
Insights
Evening pediatric illnesses peak when clinics are closed, leading to emergency room overcrowding. Parents struggle to assess conditions, contributing to unnecessary visits.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Public Health
- Healthcare Management
Background:
- Pediatric emergency medicine demand is rising in Japan, particularly during evening hours.
- Overcrowding in pediatric emergency facilities presents a significant challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the underlying causes of evening overcrowding in pediatric emergency facilities.
- To identify factors contributing to increased demand for pediatric emergency care in the evening.
Main Methods:
- A population-based survey was conducted in Yokohama City, Japan.
- Questionnaires were mailed to 30,000 parents of children aged 1 or 3 years undergoing regular health checkups.
- The survey focused on children's illnesses, injury occurrences, and parental perceptions of the pediatric emergency system.
Main Results:
- Parents most frequently observed their child's illness or injury during the evening (54.4%), followed by daytime (30.3%) and nighttime (15.3%).
- Most medical facilities are closed during the peak period of observed illnesses (evening).
- Parents reported difficulty in assessing their child's condition across all time periods, leading to unnecessary emergency facility use.
Conclusions:
- Evening overcrowding is primarily caused by a temporal mismatch between peak pediatric illness incidence and pediatric clinic operating hours.
- Parental challenges in evaluating their child's health status and anxiety contribute to the imbalance in emergency facility usage.
- Addressing this issue may require better alignment of healthcare services with parental needs and children's illness patterns.
Objectives:
In Japan, the demand for pediatric emergency medicine has been increasing, especially in the evening. The purpose of this study was to identify the reasons for overcrowding of pediatric emergency facilities in the evening.
Methods:
A population-based survey was conducted in Yokohama City, Japan, that targeted parents of children 1 or 3 years of age. These children participate in regular health checkups. Questionnaires about their child's illnesses and the pediatric emergency system were mailed to 30,000 parents of a child expected to undergo a health checkup between May 2004 and January 2005.
Results:
Data obtained from the completed questionnaires indicated that many parents noticed their child's illness or injury most frequently during the evening, when most medical facilities are closed. The peak period when parents noticed their child's illness was the evening (4:00 pm-12 midnight, 54.4%), followed by the daytime (8:00 am-4:00 pm, 30.3%) and then the nighttime (12 midnight-8:00 am, 15.3%). During all 3 periods, parents felt it difficult to judge their child's condition and thus many used emergency facilities unnecessarily.
Conclusions:
The overcrowding of pediatric emergency facilities in the evening is likely due mainly to a mismatch between the peak time of children's illnesses and the office hours of pediatric clinics. Parents' difficulties in assessing their child's condition and anxiety over their child's illness and injuries seem to be other factors that contribute to this imbalance.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-I
Daycare centers
They provide several functions. Some facilities care for healthy newborns and children whose parents work, while others are medically focused and care for...
01:26Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:29Drug Dosing: Infants and Children
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption