Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33431492›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2021

Low acuity paediatric emergency visits under single-payer universal health insurance in Taiwan, 2000-2015: a population-based repeated cross-sectional design.

I-Anne Huang, Yiing-Jenq Chou, I-Jun Chou, Yu-Tung Huang, Jhen-Ling Huang, Tang-Her Jaing, Chang-Teng Wu, Hsiang-Ju Hsiao, Nicole Huang

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Parental decision-making for non-urgent emergency department presentations in Victoria, Australia.Journal of child health care : for professionals working with children in the hospital and community · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

I-Anne HuangPediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.ORCID 0000-0001-8570-7723
Yiing-Jenq ChouInstitute of Public Health, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan.
I-Jun ChouCollege of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Yu-Tung HuangCenter for Big Data Analytics and Statistics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Jhen-Ling HuangCenter for Big Data Analytics and Statistics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Tang-Her JaingCollege of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Chang-Teng WuCollege of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Hsiang-Ju HsiaoPediatrics, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung, Taiwan.
Nicole HuangInstitute of Hospital and Health Care Administration, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan syhuang@ym.edu.tw.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesEmergency services utilisation is a critical policy concern. The paediatric population is the main user of emergency department (ED) services, and the main contributor to low acuity (LA) ED visits. We aimed to describe the trends of ED and LA ED visits under a comprehensive, universal health insurance programme in Taiwan, and to explore factors associating with potentially unnecessary ED utilisation. DESIGN AND

settingWe used a population-based, repeated cross-sectional design to analyse the full year of 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015 National Health Insurance claims data individually for individuals aged 18 years and under.

participantsWe identified 5 538 197, 4 818 213, 4 401 677 and 3 841 174 children in 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015, respectively. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: We adopted a diagnosis grouping system and severity classification system to define LA paediatric ED (PED) visits. Generalised estimating equation was applied to identify factors associated with LA PED visits.

resultsThe annual LA PED visits per 100 paediatric population decreased from 10.32 in 2000 to 9.04 in 2015 (12.40%). Infectious ears, nose and throat, dental and mouth diseases persistently ranked as the top reasons for LA visits (55.31% in 2000 vs 33.94% in 2015). Physical trauma-related LA PED visits increased most rapidly between 2000 and 2015 (0.91-2.56 visits per 100 population). The dose-response patterns were observed between the likelihood of incurring LA PED visit and either child's age (OR 1.06-1.35 as age groups increase, p<0.0001) or family socioeconomic status (OR 1.02-1.21 as family income levels decrease, p<0.05).

conclusionDespite a comprehensive coverage of emergency care and low cost-sharing obligations under a single-payer universal health insurance programme in Taiwan, no significant increase in PED utilisation for LA conditions was observed between 2000 and 2015. Taiwan's experience may serve as an important reference for countries considering healthcare system reforms.

Indexed as

Emergency Medical ServicesUniversal Health InsuranceAdolescentChildCross-Sectional StudiesEmergency Service, HospitalHumansInsurance, HealthTaiwanaccident & emergency medicinehealth policyhealth services administration & managementinternational health servicesorganisation of health servicespaediatric A&E and ambulatory care

Identifiers

PMID33431492
PMCPMC7802710

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.