Emergency care. Identification of psychosocial problems

Psychosocial problems are common among emergency department visitors, and can remain undetected if not focused upon. In the present study the magnitude of these problems was analysed by a social worker through telephone interviews 3-5 days after patients emergency department visit. This survey revealed not only those patients recognized by the regular staff as in need of help because of social problems (5%) but also an additional 33% of patients whose problems went undetected. Fifteen percent of the visitors found contact with a social worker to be helpful and six percent requested such help. A follow-up investigation five months after the visit revealed that assistance had been given to 83% of those patients.