Table 5 Factors associated with highly frequent ED use

Arrival time

 Day shift

102 (38.8)

17,100 (43.9)

Reference

Reference

 Evening shift

97 (36.9)

17,078 (43.8)

1.05 (0.79, 1.40)

1.05 (0.79, 1.40)

 Night shift

64 (24.3)

4,781 (12.3)

1.73 (1.24, 2.42)

1.71 (1.23, 2.40)

Arrival with ambulance

78 (29.7)

4,736 (12.2)

2.02 (1.43, 2.85)

1.97 (1.40, 2.79)

Self-referred

119 (45.2)

26,643 (68.4)

0.68 (.050, 0.93)

0.67 (0.49, 0.91)

Chief complaint [n (%)]

 Limb problems

25 (9.5)

10,028 (25.7)

0.55 (0.29, 1.04)

-

 Wounds & local infections

27 (10.3)

4,977 (12.8)

1.22 (0.65, 2.28)

-

 Ear/Nose/Sore throat

1 (0.4)

895 (2.3)

0.25 (0.03, 1.92)

-

 Shortness of breath

41 (15.6)

1,376 (3.5)

4.49 (2.48, 8.11)

9.17 (6.10, 13.78)

 Abdominal pain

42 (16.0)

3,208 (8.2)

2.22 (1.24, 3.98)

4.47 (3.01, 6.65)

 Chest pain

30 (11.4)

2,784 (7.1)

1.87 (0.99, 3.53)

3.88 (2.43, 6.19)

 Unwell patient

8 (3.0)

2.146 (5.5)

0.46 (0.19, 1.09)

-

 Head ache & head injury

2 (0.8)

1,919 (4.9)

0.16 (0.04, 0.70)

-

 Psychiatric disorders

20 (7.6)

541 (1.4)

3.49 (1.75, 6.96)

7.23 (4.22, 12.40)

 Back pain

0

705 (1.8)

-

-

 Severe trauma

0

753 (1.9)

-

-

 Rashes

1 (0.4)

522 (1.3)

0.41 (0.05, 3.09)

-

 Urinary tract problems

36 (13.7)

447 (1.1)

14.68 (8.04, 26.81)

29.43 (19.25, 44.98)

 Worried parent

0

346 (0.9)

-

-

 Eye problems

1 (0.4)

901 (2.3)

0.27 (0.04, 2.06)

-

 Pregnancy problems

0

412 (1.1)

-

-

 Other

12 (4.6)

2,901 (7.4)

0.73 (0.35, 1.55)

-

No triage

17 (6.5)

4,098 (10.5)

-

-

Triage level

 Immediate & very urgent

53 (20.2)

5,286 (14.0)

Reference

Reference

 Urgent

123 (46.9)

11,749 (31.1)

1.42 (0.99, 2.02)

1.48 (1.04, 2.11)

 Standard & non-urgent

86 (32.8)

20,768 (54.9)

1.05 (0.68, 1.61)

1.16 (0.76, 1.76)

 No triage

1 (0.4)

1,156 (3.0)

-

-