Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública - Hospital Santa Maria

Introduction: Older population increases use Emergency Department (ED) adding 12% to 21% of the total. Studies suggest that even after being observed in the ED, the elderly continue to have unresolved needs. Objective: epidemiological, clinical, functional and social characterization of the older population that goes to a tertiary central hospital emergency department. Methods and material: 426 questionnaires during their stay in the ED. Inclusion: all patients over 65 admitted to the ED of Lisbon central hospital. Exclusion: not collaborate in the study. Variables: Age, sex, polypharmacy, comorbidities, were applied basic and instrumental evaluation tests, cognitive evaluation, humor, nutrition and social tests. Functional, social, clinical and social scores were constructed. SPSS Statistics software (v. 24). A ꭓ2 test was performed and a ROC curve model performed. Results: 53.6% women, mean age 79.3 (min-65, max-101) 75 to 84 years. 26.5% live alone. 97.1% take chronic medication, with 6.7 different drug qualities (min-0, Max-19). The average admissions for ED in 2017 were 2.7 admissions / year (Min-0; Max-21). 99.5% had comorbidities (min-1; max-15) had an average of 4.9 comorbidities. 70.6% were discharged. 51.2% of patients were dependent on basic life activities and 75.6% were dependent on instrumental life activities. 62.5% had gait autonomy and 11.5% had ineffective gait. 51.7% depression. 50% dementia and 63% with nutritional changes. 17% without schooling and 55% 1st to 4th class. 33% social risk. The scores were adverse in 48,6% of social score, 79,6% clinical score, 54,9% of functional score and 83,1% of mental score. The social and clinical score were found to be statistically significant for the probability of admission. Conclusions: we concluded by an older population with a predominance of polypharmacy, multimorbidity, social needs and complex clinics that, the ED, as it currently stands, is incapable of allowing effective and timely responses, neither the necessary screening nor the referral of patients.