Table 4 Factors associated with frequent ED use

Arrival time

 Day shift

888 (42.8)

17,100 (43.9)

Reference

Reference

 Evening shift

812 (39.1)

17,078 (43.8)

1.02 (0.92, 1.13)

1.00 (0.90, 1.10)

 Night shift

375 (18.1)

4,781 (12.3)

1.42 (1.24, 1.62)

1.38 (1.21, 1.57)

Arrival with ambulance

339 (16.3)

4,736 (12.2)

0.91 (0.79, 1.05)

-

Self-referred

1,108 (53.4)

26,643 (68.4)

0.70 (0.63, 0.78)

0.70 (0.64, 0.77)

Chief complaint [n (%)]

 Limb problems

235 (11.3)

10,028 (25.7)

0.48 (0.39, 0.59)

0.46 (0.39, 0.54)

 Wounds & local infections

147 (7.1)

4,977 (12.8)

0.60 (0.48, 0.76)

0.58 (0.48, 0.70)

 Ear/Nose/Sore throat

14 (0.7)

895 (2.3)

0.33 (0.19, 0.57)

0.31 (0.18, 0.54)

 Shortness of breath

176 (8.5)

1,376 (3.5)

2.32 (1.84, 2.92)

2.15 (1.79, 2.59)

 Abdominal pain

402 (19.4)

3,208 (8.2)

2.36 (1.94, 2.87)

2.21 (1.92, 2.55)

 Chest pain

220 (10.6)

2,784 (7.1)

1.46 (1.16, 1.83)

1.37 (1.16, 1.62)

 Unwell patient

126 (6.1)

2.146 (5.5)

1.08 (0.84, 1.38)

-

 Head ache & head injury

56 (2.7)

1,919 (4.9)

0.56 (0.41, 0.77)

0.52 (0.39, 0.69)

 Psychiatric disorders

110 (5.3)

541 (1.4)

3.36 (2.55, 4.41)

3.03 (2.41, 3.83)

 Back pain

36 (1.7)

705 (1.8)

1.04 (0.72, 1.52)

-

 Severe trauma

9 (0.4)

753 (1.9)

0.21 (0.11, 0.42)

0.19 (0.10, 0.37)

 Rashes

21 (1.0)

522 (1.3)

0.82 (0.51, 1.31)

-

 Urinary tract problems

60 (2.9)

447 (1.1)

2.61 (1.90, 3.59)

2.46 (1.84, 3.27)

 Worried parent

2 (0.1)

346 (0.9)

0.12 (0.03, 0.47)

0.11 (0.03, 0.45)

 Eye problems

10 (0.5)

901 (2.3)

0.24 (0.13, 0.46)

0.23 (0.12, 0.43)

 Pregnancy problems

21 (1.0)

412 (1.1)

1.02 (0.64, 1.63)

-

 Other

201 (9.7)

2,901 (7.4)

1.32 (1.06, 1.64)

1.26 (1.05, 1.49)

No triage

229 (11.0)

4,098 (10.5)

-

-

Triage level

 Immediate & very urgent

403 (20.2)

5,286 (14.0)

Reference

-

 Urgent

752 (37.7)

11,749 (31.1)

0.95 (0.83, 1.10)

-

 Standard & non-urgent

840 (42.1)

20,768 (54.9)

1.01 (0.87, 1.19)

-

 No triage

80 (3.9)

1,156 (3.0)

-

-