H1N1 Fears Led to Overcrowded ERs
Last year’s scare had people rushing for care even before the disease appeared, study shows
TUESDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) — A new study suggests that last year’s H1N1 pandemic led to overcrowding of pediatric emergency rooms as worried parents rushed their children to be examined.
“Our study shows that public fear of disease, even when actual disease is not present, can bring about the problems of emergency department overcrowding,” said Dr. William M. McDonnell, assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine and adjunct professor of law at the University of Utah.
