Table 2 Characteristics associated with unscheduled ED return: univariate and multivariate analysis
From: Unscheduled return visits to a Dutch inner-city emergency department
Patients who did not return | Patients with unscheduled return visits | Unadjusted odds ratioa,b(95% CI),Pvalue | Adjusted odds ratioa,b,c(95% CI),Pvalue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
(n= 41,750) | (n= 2,161) | |||
Age [mean (standard deviation)] | 38.2 (22.3) | 39.3 (20.7) | 1.00 (1.00, 1.00), 0.03 | -e |
Sex, male [n (%)] | 21,572 (51.7) | 1,155 (53.4) | 1.07 (0.99, 1.17), 0.11 | - |
Lacking health insurance [n (%)] | 1,714 (4.1) | 97 (4.5) | 1.01 (0.89, 1.35), 0.38 | - |
Lacking a GP [n (%)] | 3,255 (7.8) | 155 (7.2) | 0.91 (0.77, 1.08), 0.29 | - |
Triage level [n (%)] | ||||
Levels 1 and 2 | 6,482 (16.1) | 298 (14.2) | 1.00 (0.88, 1.15), 0.96 | 1.13 (0.97, 1.32), 0.12 |
Level 3 | 13,324 (33.1) | 859 (41.0) | 1.41 (1.28, 1.55), <0.01 | 1.40 (1.26, 1.55), <0.01 |
Levels 4 and 5 (reference category) | 20,428 (50.8) | 936 (44.7) | 1 | 1 |
No triagec [n (%)] | 1,516 (3.6) | 68 (3.1) | 0.86 (0.67, 1.10), 0.24 | - |
Arrival time [n (%)] | ||||
Day, 7.30 a.m. to 3.29 p.m. (reference category) | 17,844 (42.7) | 882 (40.8) | 1 | 1 |
Evening, 3.30 p.m. to 10.59 p.m. | 18,193 (43.6) | 925 (42.8) | 1.03 (0.94, 1.13), 0.56 | 1.03 (0.94, 1.14), 0.54 |
Night, 11.00 p.m. to 7.29 a.m. | 5,713 (13.7) | 354 (16.4) | 1.25 (1.10, 1.42), <0.01 | 1.24 (1.09, 1.41), <0.01 |
Length of stay [n (%)] | ||||
<1 h (reference category) | 9,918 (23.8) | 435 (20.1) | 1 | - |
1 to 2 h | 11,966 (28.7) | 648 (30.0) | 1.24 (1.09, 1.40), <0.01 | 1.25 (1.09, 1.42), 0.00 |
2 to 3 h | 8,804 (21.1) | 452 (20.9) | 1.17 (1.02, 1.34), 0.02 | 1.16 (1.00, 1.34), 0.05 |
3 to 4 h | 5,001 (12.0) | 283 (13.1) | 1.29 (1.11, 1.50), <0.01 | 1.26 (1.06, 1.48), 0.01 |
>4 h | 6,061 (14.5) | 343 (15.9) | 1.29 (1.12, 1.49), <0.01 | 1.24 (1.05, 1.45), 0.01 |
Medical complaint [n (%)] | ||||
Extremity-related complaints | 9,789 (23.4) | 498 (23.0) | 0.98 (0.88, 1.08), 0.67 | - |
Wounds and local infections | 4,726 (11.3) | 281 (13.0) | 1.17 (1.03, 1.33), 0.02 | 1.34 (1.17, 1.54), <0.01 |
Otherd | 4,480 (10.7) | 225 (10.4) | 0.97 (0.84, 1.11), 0.64 | - |
Abdominal pain | 3,597 (8.6) | 269 (12.4) | 1.51 (1.32, 1.72), <0.01 | 1.38 (1.20, 1.59), <0.01 |
Chest pain | 3,547 (8.5) | 146 (6.8) | 0.78 (0.66, 0.93), <0.01 | 0.78 (0.64, 0.94), 0.01 |
Feeling unwell | 3,124 (7.5) | 131 (6.1) | 0.80 (0.67, 0.96), <0.01 | 0.75 (0.62, 0.91), 0.00 |
Eye/ear/nose problems and sore throat | 2,317 (5.5) | 107 (5.0) | 0.89 (0.73, 1.08), 0.24 | - |
Shortness of breath | 2,085 (5.0) | 99 (4.6) | 0.91 (0.74, 1.12), 0.39 | - |
Headache and head injury | 1,943 (4.5) | 98 (4.7) | 0.97 (0.79, 1.20), 0.80 | - |
Back pain | 826 (2.0) | 37 (1.7) | 0.86 (0.62, 1.20), 0.39 | - |
Trauma, severe | 771 (1.8) | 32 (1.5) | 0.80 (0.56, 1.14), 0.22 | - |
Psychiatric problem/substance abuse | 685 (1.6) | 44 (2.0) | 1.25 (0.92, 1.70), 0.16 | - |
Rashes | 660 (1.6) | 32 (1.5) | 0.94 (0.66, 1.34), 0.72 | - |
Urinary problems | 641 (1.5) | 59 (2.7) | 1.80 (1.37, 2.36), <0.01 | 1.72 (1.31, 2.26), <0.01 |
Sick baby | 524 (1.3) | 12 (0.6) | 0.44 (0.25, 0.78), <0.01 | 0.47 (0.27, 0.84), 0.01 |
No medical complaint registered | 2,035 (4.9) | 91 (4.2) | 0.86 (0.69, 1.06), 0.16 | - |