Factors Leading To Emergency Departments (EDS) Usage In California

The frequent use of health services through emergency department (ED) visits and inpatient hospitalization is a major risk factor for homelessness resulting in poor health and early death, especially in California.In Los Angeles County, ED visits are one of the highest financial expenses in the healthcare system for both patients and providers.California's Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, plays a role in LA County, contributing to repeated ED visits, which can suggest deeper systemic issues like poor access to preventative services or individuals' behaviors to choose to delay care.The data analyzed was from the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS), which is the largest state-level health survey in the nation that offers detailed data around health insurance coverage, access to care, health behaviors and other influencing factors.SPSS was utilized to explore various factors associated with ED visits and the statistical analysis conducted using SPSS provided valuable insights into the relationships between adults with limited or no insurance coverage and the number of Ed visits.SPSS analysis of CHIS 2023 data shows emergency department (ED) use among Los Angeles adults across insurance status, age, race, and income groups.The overall ED use rate for insured individuals is approximately 14.3%, while the uninsured group has an ED use rate of about 10.7%.A few other factors were considered, including but not limited to housing instability, mental health issues, and chronic diseases.