Trends in Emergency Department Visits Among Undocumented Patients

Key Points

• This study investigates how recent changes in immigration enforcement policies affect emergency department visits by undocumented individuals.
• Cohort study analyzing emergency department visits
• Data segmented by insurance status and language preference
• Proxies used to assess documentation status
• Increased emergency department visits correlated with stricter immigration enforcement policies.
• Language preference was a significant factor influencing visit rates among undocumented patients.
• Differences in visits were noted based on insurance status, with uninsured individuals visiting more frequently.