Seeking and reaching emergency care: A cross sectional household survey across two Liberian counties

The overwhelming burden of morbidity and mortality from injury and medical
conditions requiring acute care are borne by low- and middle-income
countries lacking accessible, quality care systems. Current evidence
suggests the lack of prehospital care systems likely contributes to this
disproportionate burden. As an initial step in a longitudinal,
collaborative effort to strengthen the chain of survival for emergency
conditions in Liberia, baseline attitudes and behaviors in accessing and
utilizing emergency care were characterized. A multistage, proportional,
cluster sampling frame was employed to conduct a cross-sectional,
community-based survey of 800 households across rural Lofa County and the
greater capital (Monrovia) metropolitan area. The primary outcome was
facility-based utilization of emergency care within the 12 months prior to
survey administration.