Health anxiety and oppressive support: their impact on decisions for non-urgent use of the emergency department of obstetrics and gynecology

The high number of non-urgent visits to the emergency departments of obstetrics and gynecology (EDOG) is receiving increasing attention from researchers and public health professionals. The decision to access the EDOG is the result of a decision-making process based on three phases, from the problem recognition to the intention to seek medical care, and the decision to visit the EDOG. Each stage may depend on different psychological and social factors, but their specific role is still unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the psychological and social factors which are implied in the decision-making process leading to non-urgent visits to the emergency department. A questionnaire was administered to 280 women between the 10th and the 14th week of pregnancy. Results showed that health anxiety had a positive effect on all three stages of the decision-making process (problem recognition, seeking medical care, and visiting the emergency department). Satisfaction with the prenatal care service showed a positive effect on the first two stages, while oppressive support had a positive effect on visiting the emergency department. We suggest that educational interventions for patients and family members aimed at reducing health anxiety and oppressive support during pregnancy could reduce the number of inappropriate accesses to the emergency department, with a beneficial effect on its functioning, patient-and-caregiver relationship, and the healthcare system costs.