BMJ  2006;332 (13 May), doi:10.1136/bmj.332.7550.0-d

Delayed hospital access in the West Bank may worsen medical conditions

Patients whose transportation to emergency departments was delayed because of checkpoints or detours during the armed conflict in the Palestinian West Bank had a higher hospital admission rate than those who were not delayed. Heilskov Rytter and colleagues collected data for all 2228 patients who presented to the emergency departments of three West Bank hospitals during one week (p 1122). Of the 18% of patients who were delayed because of the occupation, 32% were admitted to hospital—compared with only 13% of those who were not delayed, suggesting that restriction in hospital access may influence the severity of the medical conditions presented.

Credit: MENAHEM KAHANA/GETTY

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

Related Article

Effects of armed conflict on access to emergency health care in Palestinian West Bank: systematic collection of data in emergency departments

Maren Johanne Heilskov Rytter, Anne-Lene Kjældgaard, Henrik Brønnum-Hansen, and Karin Helweg-Larsen
BMJ 2006 332: 1122-1124. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Rapid Responses:

Read all Rapid Responses

incomplete methodology

leonard thaler
bmj.com, 13 May 2006 [Full text]

Political meddling

B.D. Bradley
bmj.com, 14 May 2006 [Full text]

Delayed hospital access in the West Bank may worsen medical conditions

Elliot G Brown
bmj.com, 14 May 2006 [Full text]