To investigate the interface between primary care and paediatric services in the referral of asylum seekers. Over a 3 period a questionnaire was administered, and clinical data gathered on every child attending the A&E department of UCHG whose parents were seeking asylum in this country. Control data was obtained for the next Irish child seen on-call. At the time of presentation to the paediatric service, an Irish child was 4 times more likely (32%) to have initially been seen referred by a GP than an asylum seeker child (8%); 80% of asylum seeker families had registered with a GP, compared to 96% of controls. 24% of asylum seeker families had called and used an emergency response ambulance to get to hospital, compared to just 4% of Irish children. The rate of subsequent admission to the paediatric ward from A&E was nearly that in asylum seeker children (24%) compared to Irish controls (40%).get to hospital, compared to just 4% of Irish children. Asylum seeker children are less likely to have seen a GP prior to A&E presentation, more likely to go to hospital by ambulance and less likely to be subsequently admitted, suggesting an over-dependence on paediatric hospital services in this population.

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information processing hospital admission primary medical care ambulance refugee human Refugees statistics health service controlled study general practitioner pediatrics hospital care Health Services Needs and Demand Humans Ireland male female patient referral questionnaire Article Questionnaires emergency care major clinical study emergency health service health care access child hospitalization Utilization Review child health care Emergency Service, Hospital Health Services Accessibility pediatric ward health care delivery Child