Factors affecting parents' decision to bring children to the pediatric emergency departments for non-urgent concerns in the Makkah region, Saudi Arabia

Objective: This study aimed to uncover the elements that influence parents' decision-making when it comes to non-urgent visits to the emergency department (ED). Methods: An online cross-sectional survey was undertaken on parents from the Makkah region who had taken their children to the pediatric emergency room for non-urgent concerns in the previous year. The study used an online questionnaire to collect demographics, parents' views of their children's health, decision-making behavior, and previous experiences with healthcare services. Results: The majority of involved parents were female (66.7%), 40-50 years old (33.1%), and married (74.2%). The majority of children (69.4%) were male and between the ages of 1 and 5 years old. Fever (59.4%) was the most common complaint, 62.2% of parents thought their children's condition was not serious, and 54.5% did not explore home cures or pharmaceuticals before going to the ED. While 45.5% of parents sought guidance before attendance, the majority (63.1%) consulted informal sources rather than healthcare professionals. The most common cause for going to the ED was the parents' view that the presenting condition required immediate attention (28.7%). A significant connection was discovered between hospitalization and parental opinion of severity and physician discretion (p-value = 0.001). Conclusion: A variety of psychosocial, systemic, and informational elements influenced parents' decisions to visit the pediatric emergency department for non-urgent concerns. Structured educational activities should be used to improve parental health literacy.