{"id":23553,"date":"2026-04-22T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ices.on.ca\/?post_type=news_release&p=23553"},"modified":"2026-04-20T11:47:22","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T15:47:22","slug":"patients-with-higher-markers-of-marginalization-more-likely-to-rely-on-emergency-departments-for-concussion-care-study-finds","status":"publish","type":"news_release","link":"https:\/\/www.ices.on.ca\/fr\/news-releases\/patients-with-higher-markers-of-marginalization-more-likely-to-rely-on-emergency-departments-for-concussion-care-study-finds\/","title":{"rendered":"Patients\u00a0with higher markers of marginalization\u00a0more likely to rely on emergency departments for concussion care, study finds\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Toronto, ON, April\u00a022, 2026<\/span><\/b>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Patients experiencing higher levels of socioeconomic marginalization\u00a0and without established family physicians\u00a0were more likely to seek initial concussion care in hospital emergency departments (EDs) rather than outpatient settings, according to a new study from\u00a0<\/span>ICES<\/span><\/b>,\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>CHEO Research Institute<\/span><\/b><\/a>,\u00a0<\/span>Children\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia\u00a0<\/span><\/b>(CHOP),\u00a0and the\u00a0<\/span>Ontario Brain Institute<\/span><\/b>\u00a0(OBI). These patients, particularly those without family physicians,\u00a0were also significantly less likely to receive follow-up care within 30 days of their\u00a0first\u00a0visit.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMost concussions can be managed in outpatient settings; however,\u00a0prior\u00a0research has shown that lower socioeconomic status contributes\u00a0to higher ED-use for non-urgent health concerns,\u00a0an issue compounded by the fact that due to time constraints, the ED is oftentimes the least optimal setting to deliver ideal concussion care,\u201d\u00a0says Dr. Daniel Corwin,\u00a0Associate Director and\u00a0Emergency Department Lead of\u00a0CHOP\u2019s\u00a0Minds Matter Concussion Program\u00a0and Director of Clinical and Translational Research for CHOP\u2018s Division of Emergency Medicine, and scientist within the TRANSCENDENT Concussion Research Program. TRANSCENDENT, funded by the\u00a0OBI\u00a0and led out of the CHEO Research Institute, combines large-scale clinical data with patient-centered research to answer priority questions in concussion care.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The population-based study examined 674,629 Ontarians\u00a0across all age ranges\u00a0diagnosed with concussion over a 13-year period. Overall, 41 per cent of patients first sought care in an ED. Compared with those who initially accessed outpatient care, ED-first patients were more likely to live in lower-income neighbourhoods with fewer material and household resources,\u00a0reside\u00a0in rural communities, and\u00a0less likely to\u00a0possess\u00a0a family doctor.\u00a0On the other hand, patients presenting from more diverse neighbourhoods\u00a0were less likely to first seek care in EDs across all age groups.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Initial ED care was consistently associated with much lower follow-up rates, regardless of age, with the largest disparity observed among adults. Less than nine per cent of ED-first patients completed a follow-up visit within 30 days, compared with 28 per cent of those who first visited an outpatient clinic. Additional factors associated with fewer follow-ups included residing in a neighbourhood with fewer material resources and patients not having a regular family doctor. Patients without a family doctor were up to 70 per cent less likely to follow up. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe findings highlight the very real need for system-wide improvements in concussion management, particularly for communities facing socioeconomic marginalization,\u201d says Dr. Corwin. \u201cImproving access to primary care\u00a0for all patients\u00a0is\u00a0critical to providing optimal\u00a0concussion care,\u00a0as is\u00a0developing tools to support ED clinicians\u00a0caring for concussion patients, and alternative care models, such as telemedicine\u00a0or remote monitoring.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The study, \u201cSocioeconomic disparities in concussion presentation,\u201d is in the April issue of <\/span>JAMA Network Open<\/span><\/i>.\u00a0The TRANSCENDENT team is actively evaluating innovative approaches such as remote monitoring and digital tools to help improve access, follow-up, and recovery for underserved patients.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

ICES<\/span><\/b>\u202fis an independent, not-for-profit research and analytics institute that uses population-based health information to produce knowledge on a broad range of healthcare issues. ICES leads\u00a0cutting-edge\u00a0studies and analyses evaluating healthcare policy, delivery, and population outcomes. Our knowledge is highly regarded in Canada and abroad and is widely used by government, hospitals, planners, and practitioners to make decisions about healthcare delivery and to develop policy. For the latest ICES news, follow us on BlueSky and LinkedIn: @ICESOntario\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u00a0<\/span>CHEO Research Institute<\/span><\/b>\u00a0is a global centre of excellence in pediatric research that connects talent and technology in pursuit of life-changing research for every child, youth, and family in the CHEO community and beyond. The CHEO Research Institute coordinates the research activities of CHEO and is affiliated with the University of Ottawa. At the CHEO Research Institute, discoveries inspire the best life for every child and youth. For more information, visit cheoresearch.ca.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The\u202f<\/span>Ontario Brain Institute<\/span><\/b><\/a>\u00a0(OBI)\u202fis a provincially funded, not-for-profit organization that accelerates discovery and innovation,\u00a0benefiting\u00a0both patients and the economy. Our collaborative ‘team science’ approach promotes brain research, commercialization, and care by connecting\u00a0researchers, clinicians, industry, patients, and their advocates to improve the lives of those living with brain disorders.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Charlotte Lam\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span>
\nCommunications Associate\u202f\u202f<\/span>
\nICES\u202f\u202f\u202f\u202f<\/span>
\nmedia@ices.on.ca<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u202f<\/span>
\n437-317-8804\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Jennifer Ruff<\/span>
\n<\/span>Communications Director<\/span>
\n<\/span>CHEO Research Institute<\/span>
\n<\/span>Media@cheo.on.ca<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Narem Karakoyun<\/span>
\n<\/span>Communications Specialist<\/span>
\n<\/span>Ontario Brain Institute<\/span>
\n<\/span>nkarakoyun@braininstitute.ca<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Toronto, ON, April\u00a022, 2026\u00a0\u2014\u00a0Patients experiencing higher levels of socioeconomic marginalization\u00a0and without established family physicians\u00a0were more likely to seek initial concussion care in hospital emergency departments (EDs) rather than outpatient settings, according to a new study from\u00a0ICES,\u00a0the\u00a0CHEO Research Institute,\u00a0Children\u2019s Hospital of Philadelphia\u00a0(CHOP),\u00a0and the\u00a0Ontario Brain Institute\u00a0(OBI). These patients, particularly those without family physicians,\u00a0were also significantly less likely […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","migration-helper-automated":[],"migration-manual":[],"topic":[24,20,62,55],"class_list":["post-23553","news_release","type-news_release","status-publish","hentry","topic-acute-and-emergency-services","topic-health-and-health-care-inequality","topic-health-services-research","topic-injuries-and-accidents"],"acf":{"infographic":"","journal_article":[23555],"research_report":"","atlas":"","research_program":[6740],"site":[6734],"ices_scientist":[21611,1260],"announce_or_event":"","video":"","iitn_type":"Article","iitn_title":"","iitn_short_title":"","iitn_source_link_url":"","iitn_source_link_text":"","sitecore_item_id":"","sitecore_item_name":"","sitecore_field_values":"","previous_url":""},"yoast_head":"\nICES | Patients\u00a0with higher markers of marginalization\u00a0more likely to rely on emergency departments for concussion care, study 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