The Effect of Sporting Events on Emergency Department Attendance Rates in a District General Hospital in Northern Ireland.

Angela Mcgreevy (1) , Lynn Millar (1) , Brian Murphy (1) , Gareth Davison (2) , Robin Brown (1) , Mark Edward O'Donnell (3, 4)

1 Surgery
2 Sport and Exercise Sciences Research Institute
3 Surgery
4 Faculty of Life and Health Sciences

Background:Previous studies have reported a conflicting relationship between the effect of sporting events on attendance rates to emergency departments(ED).The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship of major sporting events on ED attendance rates and to determine the potential effects of such events on service provision. Methods:A retrospective analysis of ED attendances to a DGH and subsequent admissions over a 24-hour period following sporting activities was performed.Data was compiled from the hospital's emergency record books including number of attendances,patient demographics,clinical complaint and outcome.Analysis of sporting events was compiled for live local,regional and national events as well as world-wide televised sporting broadcasts. Results:137668(80445 male)patients attended from April 2002 to July 2007.Mean attendance rate per day was 80 patients(Male=47).Mean admission rate was 13.6 patients per day.Major sporting events during the study period included;Soccer:4 FA Cup and 1 World Cup(WC)finals;Rugby:47 Six Nations,25 Six Nations games involving Ireland,1 WC Final,2 WC semi-finals,2 WC quarter-finals and 4 WC games involving Ireland;and Gaelic Football(GAA):5 All-Ireland finals,11 semi-finals,11 quarter-finals and 5 provincial finals.There was a significantly higher patient admission rate during the soccer FA Cup final,rugby 6 nations and games involving Ireland and for GAA semi-and quarter-final games(p=0.001 to 0.01).Although there was no correlation identified between any of these sporting events and total ED attendances(r<0.15,p>0.07),multinomial logistic regression demonstrated that FA Cup final(p=0.001),Rugby Six Nations(p=0.019),Rugby WC games involving Ireland(p=0.003),GAA All-Ireland semi-and quarter-finals(p=0.016&p=0.016)were predictors of patient admission rates. Conclusion:This study suggests that live or televised sporting events do not significantly affect ED attendances to a DGH.However,some events appeared to be predictors of patient admission rates.Although it may be beneficial to consider the effect of sporting events on service stratification during these periods,the overall effect is probably minimal and should not create a major concern for future service provision despite the implementation of the European Working Time Directive.

Mots clés: Medicine

Angela Mcgreevy, Lynn Millar, Brian Murphy, Gareth Davison, Robin Brown, et al.. The Effect of Sporting Events on Emergency Department Attendance Rates in a District General Hospital in Northern Ireland.. International Journal of Clinical Practice, 2010, 64 (11), pp.1563. ⟨10.1111/j.1742-1241.2010.02390.x⟩. ⟨hal-00576629⟩