Question

Acute - Critical & Chronic Illness: ED/Hospital Stats

a. Emergency Department visits are primarily associated with chronic illnesses.
b. Critical illnesses rarely lead to hospitalization.
c. Hospitalization rates are higher for chronic illnesses than acute ones.
d. Acute illnesses account for the majority of Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations.

Answer 1

Acute illnesses account for the majority of Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that is factually accurate regarding acute and chronic illnesses is d. Acute illnesses account for the majority of Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations.

An acute illness is a short-term disease that runs its course within a relatively short time, such as influenza. In contrast, chronic illnesses are long-term or lifelong diseases, like heart disease. While chronic illnesses may have higher hospitalization rates overall due to their long duration, acute illnesses are more common in terms of Emergency Department visits and hospitalizations.

For example, during the influenza season in the United States, there were higher Emergency Department visits for influenza-like symptoms compared to other years. This indicates that acute illnesses like influenza can lead to a significant number of Emergency Department visits.