Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40432476›Full record

ArticleHealth expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy2025

What Is Important to Older People When Accessing Urgent Health Care: Key Considerations and Recommendations From Consumer Consultations.

Miia Rahja, Sharmilla Zaluski, Leanne Greene, Maria Crotty, Craig Whitehead, Kate Laver

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

6 authors.

Miia RahjaFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-0845-5459
Sharmilla ZaluskiCouncil on the Ageing, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Leanne GreeneFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-5383-4362
Maria CrottyFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-2996-5135
Craig WhiteheadFlinders Health and Medical Research Institute, College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Kate LaverDivision of Rehabilitation, Aged and Palliative Care, Southern Adelaide Local Health Network, Adelaie, South Australia, Australia.ORCID 0000-0003-0259-2209

Funding

This study was supported by the Medical Research Future Fund (Grant No. MRF2018573).
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionEmergency departments (ED) worldwide are under pressure. Older people are disproportionally represented in ED, and many of these presentations are for nonlife-threatening ailments that could be attended to elsewhere. Urgent care services have been established to relieve ED pressures and may be a better alternative for older people with urgent but nonlife-threatening health issues. The purpose of this study was to understand the needs and preferences of older people when accessing urgent care, and what an ideal journey through an urgent care service would look like.

methodsThis qualitative study consisted of three consumer workshops with engagement activities designed and facilitated by an organisation designed to advocate for the rights and interests of older people in Adelaide, South Australia. Primary analysis was completed using a framework analysis approach, which consisted of identifying key themes and meanings in the audio-recorded data and workshop outputs (including maps, notes and lists). Regular team meetings were held to discuss findings to enhance study rigour.

resultsA total of 39 participants aged 65 and above took part in the workshops. Most participants were female (n = 24, 62%), born in Australia (n = 26, 67%) and only spoke English at home (n = 36, 92%). Most participants (n = 33, 85%) had recent experience with ED. Four themes emerged regarding the needs and preferences for urgent care services: (1) accessible and responsive, (2) age appropriate with expert care, (3) listen to me, my story and (4) safe and well-planned discharge. Participants felt that there needs to be more information available to the public about urgent care services for older people.

conclusionsThis study has identified needs and preferences of older people when accessing urgent care services. Services should consider these preferences when implementing or refining urgent care services to maximise acceptability. PATIENT AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT: Our workshops engaged service users to explore and articulate their needs and preferences for service development in an urgent care setting for individuals aged 65 and older. These workshops involved public participation to evaluate the currently available services and reflect on their ideal future design. Service user experiences and priorities were the primary data sources. This study underscored the significance of lived experience, aiming to listen, learn and collaboratively reflect to understand and propose ideas for enhancing urgent care through a co-design process.

Indexed as

Ambulatory CareCommunity ParticipationEmergency Service, HospitalHealth Services AccessibilityAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansMaleQualitative ResearchSouth Australiaambulatory careconsumer consultationemergency avoidanceemergency servicehealth services for the agedhospitalurgent care

Identifiers

PMID40432476
PMCPMC12117259

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.