Abstract
Background
Previous research has identified gender-based differences in acute pain management
in the emergency department [ED]. The aim of this study was to compare pharmacological
management of acute abdominal pain in the ED by gender.
Methods
A retrospective chart audit was conducted at one private metropolitan ED including
adult patients (18–80 years) who presented with acute abdominal pain in 2019. Exclusion
criteria included: pregnancy, repeat presentation within the study period, pain-free
at initial medical review or documented refusal of analgesia, and oligo-analgesia.
Comparisons by gender included: (1) analgesia type and (2) time to analgesia. Bivariate
analysis was undertaken using SPSS.
Results
There were 192 participants: 61 (31.6 %) men and 131 (67.9 %) women. Men were more
likely to get combined opioid and non-opioid medication as first line analgesia (men:
26.2 % n = 16; women: 14.5 % n = 19, p = .049). Median time from ED presentation to analgesia was 80 min for men (IQR: 60)
versus 94 min for women (IQR: 58), (p = .119). Women (25.2 % n = 33) were more likely to receive their first analgesic
after 90 min from ED presentation compared to men versus men (11.5 %, n = 7 p = .029). In addition, women waited longer before receiving second analgesia (women:
94, men: 30 min, p = .032).
Conclusion
Findings confirm there are differences in pharmacological management of acute abdominal
pain in the ED. Larger studies are required to further explore differences observed
in this study.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 11, 2023
Accepted:
March 2,
2023
Received in revised form:
March 2,
2023
Received:
September 2,
2022
Publication stage
In Press Corrected ProofIdentification
Copyright
© 2023 College of Emergency Nursing Australasia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
