Document Type
Article
Department
Emergency Medicine
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
This study assessed the characteristics of dead on arrival (DOA) patients in Pakistan.
METHODS:
Data about the DOA patients were extracted from Pakistan National Emergency Department Surveillance study (Pak-NEDS). This study recruited all ED patients presenting to seven tertiary care hospitals during a four-month period between November 2010 and March 2011. This study included patients who were declared dead-on-arrival by the ED physician.
RESULTS:
A total of 1,557 DOA patients (7 per 1,000 visits) were included in the Pak-NEDS. Men accounted for two-thirds (64%) of DOA patients. Those aged 20-49 years accounted for about 46% of DOA patients. Nine percent (n = 72) of patients were brought by ambulance, and most patients presented at a public hospital (80%). About 11% of DOA patients had an injury. Factors significantly associated (p < 0.05) with ambulance use were men (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 2.72), brought to a private hospital (OR = 2.74), and being injured (aOR = 1.89). Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed on 6% (n = 42) of patients who received treatment. Those brought to a private hospital were more likely to receive CPR (aOR = 2.81).
CONCLUSION:
This study noted a higher burden of DOA patients in Pakistan compared to other resourceful settings (about 1 to 2 per 1,000 visits). A large proportion of patients belonging to productive age groups, and the low prevalence of ambulance and CPR use, indicate a need for improving the prehospital care and basic life support training in pakistan.
Publication (Name of Journal)
BMC Emergency Medicine
Recommended Citation
Khursheed, M.,
Bhatti, J. A.,
Parukh, F.,
Feroze, A.,
Naeem, S. S.,
Khawaja, H.,
Razzak, J.
(2015). Dead on arrival in a low-income country: results from a multicenter study in Pakistan. BMC Emergency Medicine, 15(suppl 2), S8.
Available at:
https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_emerg_med/145
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.