Patient complaints among emergency room patients at a teaching hospital in Karachi

OBJECTIVES: To study the chief presenting complaints among patients presenting to the Emergency Medical services. SETTING: This study was conducted at the Emergency Room of Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi during March and April, 2003. METHODS: A survey was carried out by the study investigators. This survey included patients who were not very sick and were selected at random. Demographic profiles of the respondents were noted. EPI-info and SPSS computer software programs were used for analysis of the results. RESULTS: One hundred patients were surveyed. The majority was relatively young, married men and women, well educated and better socio-economically placed. The majority of complaints were related to Gastroenterology, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Orthopedics services. CONCLUSION: We have documented the chief presenting complaints of emergency room patients. These findings have important implications for medical practice and planners of emergency medical services.