Emergency department resource utilization during Ramadan: distinct and reproducible patterns over a 4-year period in Abu Dhabi

Emergency Department (ED) patient arrivals vary daily and change considerably during holidays, posing challenges to resource allocation. Ramadan, during which observant Muslims follow a daily fasting period for ∼30 days, could represent a unique annual circumstance that predictably alters ED arrivals in predominantly Muslim populations. Our study examined an adult and pediatric ED in the United Arab Emirates to determine whether arrival patterns and patient characteristics differed during Ramadan. Hourly arrivals, census (number of patients in ED at any given time), and visit characteristics were retrospectively compared for Ramadan versus non-Ramadan periods over 4 years (2010–2013). Hourly arrivals and census were plotted using two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Differences in characteristics were examined using the χ2-test and Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Ramadan adult and pediatric ED arrival patterns differed significantly (P