The Main Reasons for Emergency Department Visits in Cancer Patients.

Aim: This descriptive study was conducted to investigate the main reasons for presenting to the emergency department (ED) in a university hospital among cancer patients. Methods: This study was conducted on 243 patients between January 1, 2014 and May 15, 2014. A questionnaire form was used for data collection. Percentage values and mean scores were calculated and a chi-square test was used. Results: The mean age of the patients was 61.33±15.33 years. The most common malignancy was gastrointestinal tract cancers. 64.6% of patients were admitted the emergency department more than once, 34.4% of those were readmitted within 0-1 days after discharge. Pain was the most common cause of admission 69.1% of patients, who were admitted to the emergency department, had recently received chemotherapy before admission. Almost all did not receive home care. Conclusion: The most frequent emergency department admissions were among patients with progressive cancer. The reasons for emergency department visit among cancer patients, such as pain, nausea and vomiting, and high fever, indicate that post-treatment follow-up and palliative care requirements are not adequately met. We recommend that emergency care guidelines should be established to give better care to cancer patients presenting to emergency department. Furthermore, palliative care services, both at homes and in institutions, should be expanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]