Table 1 Demographic characteristics of prehospital paediatric under-five emergency care burden managed by the WCGHW EMS n(%)
Characteristics | < 24 h | 1–28 Days | 29 days – 12 months | 1–5 years | P-value | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sex | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Male | 1 397 (2.9) | 4 070 (8.4) | 15 891 (32.6) | 27 348 (56.1) | < 0.001 | 48 706 (55.7) |
Female | 1 299 (3.4) | 3 483(9.1) | 12 504 (32.6) | 21 075 (54.9) |  | 38 361 (43.9) |
Undetermined | 94 (24.1) | 66 (16.9) | 100 (25.6%) | 130 (33.3) | Â | 390 (0.4) |
Case type | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Emergency medical | 394 (1.0) | 1 091 (2.8) | 11 682 (30.3) | 25 435 (65.9) | < 0.001 | 38 602 (44.1) |
Emergency trauma | 37 (0.6) | 69 (1.2) | 745 (13.0) | 4 881 (85.2) |  | 5 732 (6.6) |
Interfacility transfer | 2 359 (5.5%) | 6 459 (15.0) | 16 068 (37.3) | 18 237 (42.3) |  | 43 123 (49.3) |
Location | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Urban | 2 056 (5.2) | 4 934 (12.5) | 13 919 (35.3) | 18 568 (47.0) | < 0.001 | 39 477 (45.1) |
Rural | 734 (1.5) | 2 685 (5.6) | 14 576 (30.4) | 29 985 (62.5) |  | 47 980 (54.9) |
Season year 1 | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Autumn | 367 (2.7) | 1 011 (7.6) | 4 886 (35.8) | 7 361 (53.9) | < 0.001 | 13 647 (15.6) |
Winter | 401 (3.4) | 924 (7.9) | 3 714 (31.8) | 6 637 (56.8) |  | 11 676 (13.5) |
Spring | 366 (3.3) | 974 (8.8) | 3 545 (32.0) | 6 186 (55.9) |  | 11 071 (12.7) |
Summer | 337 (3.7) | 791 (8.6) | 2 693 (29.3) | 5 382(58.5) |  | 9 203 (10.5) |
| Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | 45Â 597 (52.1) |
Season year 2 | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â |
Autumn | 339 (2.6) | 1 113 (8.4) | 4 596 (34.8) | 7 154 (54.2) | < 0.001 | 13 202 (15.1) |
Winter | 309 (3.7) | 808 (9.8) | 2 673 (32.3) | 4 489 (54.2) |  | 8 279 (9.5) |
Spring | 305 (3.1) | 952 (9.8) | 3 144 (32.4) | 5 291 (54.6) |  | 9 692 (11.1) |
Summer | 366 (3.4) | 1 024 (9.6) | 3 244 (30.4) | 6 053 (56.6) |  | 10 687 (12.2) |
| Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | Â | 41 860 (47.9) |
Presenting paediatric complaints (top seven) | ||||||
Respiratory disorder | 1 650 (5.3) | 2 715 (8.8) | 13 920 (45.6) | 12 649 (40.9) | < 0.001 | 30 934 (35.4) |
Non-cardiac pain | 163 (1.4) | 1 632 (14.3) | 3 236 (28.4) | 6 350 (55.8) |  | 11 381 (13.0) |
Trauma | 147 (1.4) | 968 (8.9) | 1 685 (15.6) | 8 031 (74.1) |  | 10 831 (12.4) |
Vomiting/diarrhoea | 9 (0.1) | 257 (2.6) | 3 566 (36.2) | 6 031(61.1) |  | 9 863 (11.3) |
Fever | 14 (0.2) | 369 (4.1) | 2696 (29.6) | 6026 (66.2) |  | 9 105 (10.4) |
Neurological complaint | 301 (3.5) | 831 (9.6) | 1 813 (20.9) | 5 728 (66.0) |  | 8 673 (9.9) |
Abdominal complaint | 63 (1.7) | 471 (13.0) | 991 (27.3) | 2 110 (58.0) |  | 3 635 (4.2) |
Other1 | 443 (14.6) | 376 (12.4) | 588 (19.4) | 1628 (53.6) | Â | 3 035 (3.4) |
Total | 2 790 (3.2%) | 7 619 (8.7%) | 28 495 (32.6%) | 48 553 (55.5%) |  | 87 457 |