head JofIMAB
Journal of IMAB
Publisher: Peytchinski Publishing Ltd.
ISSN: 1312-773X (Online)
Issue: 2024, vol. 30, issue4
Subject Area: ublic Health
-
DOI: 10.5272/jimab.2024304.5942
Published online: 18 December 2024

Original article
J of IMAB. 2024 Oct-Dec;30(4):5942-5946
EMERGENCY AND URGENT MEDICAL CONDITION - LEVEL OF AWARENESS AND THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AMONG PEOPLE IN THE STARA ZAGORA REGION IN BULGARIA
Deyana TodorovaORCID logoCorresponding Autoremail, Teodora TodorovaORCID logo, Albena AndonovaORCID logo,
Department of Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Medical & Education, Trakia University Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.

ABSTRACT:
PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to determine the level of awareness among people about emergency and urgent medical care, as well as their need to obtain additional information.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data were collected through a questionnaire filled out by 312 random people living in the Stara Zagora region in Bulgaria. A pilot survey was conducted in the period of January-March 2024. The persons surveyed were from the Stara Zagora region, aged from 18 to 80 years old. The processing and analysis of the results were performed with Microsoft Office Excel 2010.
RESULTS: Emergency medical services are an important element of the healthcare system of any country, as they provide opportunities to respond to critical medical conditions and save lives. A number of the reviewed articles mainly described the reasons for using emergency medical care, and very little information on whether medical service users are aware of which condition is "emergency" and which is "urgent". A large proportion of patients present to an urgent care center or emergency department with problems that can be managed at the emergency medical level.
CONCLUSIONS: The study shows a lack of public knowledge of emergency and urgent medical care, which in turn proves the need for interventions to improve public knowledge.

Keywords: Emergency, urgent, medical condition, Center for Emergency Medical Care, healthcare system,

pdf - Download FULL TEXT /PDF 820 KB/
Please cite this article as: Todorova D, Todorova T, Andonova A. Emergency and urgent medical condition - level of awareness and the need for additional knowledge among people in the Stara Zagora region in Bulgaria. J of IMAB. 2024 Oct-Dec;30(4):5942-5946.
[Crossref - 10.5272/jimab.2024304.5942]

Corresponding AutorCorrespondence to: Deyana Todorova, Department of Health Care, Faculty of Medicine, Trakia University Stara Zagora; 11, Armeyska Str., Stara Zagora, Bulgaria; E-mail: deyanatodorova@abv.bg

REFERENCES:
1. Disease Control Prioritiesin Developing Countries. 2nd edition. Editors: Jamison D, Breman J, Measham A, Alleyne G, Claeson M, Evans D, et al. Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank; New York: Oxford University Press. 2006. [PubMed]
2. [Ordinance No. 3 of 6.10.2017 for approval of the medical standard "Emergency Medicine" (promulgated SG No. 86 of 27.10.2017)] [in Bulgarian]. 2017. [Internet]
3. [Concept for development of the system for emergency medical care in the Republic of Bulgaria 2014 – 2020]  [in Bulgarian] Ministry of Health. 30.06.2014. 53p. [Internet]
4. [1.3. Organization and financing of medical care in emergency and urgent cases. In: Health Care Financing and Management. Theoretical basics, models, problems and trends.] [in Bulgarian] Microeconomic Analysis Department. Budget Directorate. Ministry of Finance. Chapter 4, pp.218-220.  [Internet]
5. Albalahi NM, Al Bargawi M, Kofi M. Awareness and utilization of urgent care services among patients attending Al-Wazarat PHCC in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2020. J Family Med Prim Care. 2021 Dec;10(12):4452-4462. [PubMed ]
6. [Ordinance No. 10 of 31.05.1994 on Emergency Medical assistance. (promulgated SG No. 48 of 14.06.1994)] [in Bulgarian]. 1994. [Internet]
7. Northington WE, Brice JH, Zou B. Use of an emergency department by non-urgent patients. Am J Emerg Med. 2005 Mar;23(2):131-7. [PubMed]
8. Uscher-Pines L, Pines J, Kellermann A, Gillen E, Mehrotra A. Emergency department visits for non-urgent conditions: systematic literature review. Am J Manag Care. 2013 Jan;19(1):47-59. [PubMed]
9. [Report on the implementation of the program budget of the Ministry of Health as of June 30] [in Bulgarian] Ministry of Health. 2019. [Internet]
10. [383 manifestations of aggression against medics] [in Bulgarian] Clinica.bg. 19-02-2019. [Internet]

Received: 18 June 2024
Published online: 18 December 2024

back to Online Journal