Table 1. Yearly trends in demographic and clinical characteristics of hospitalizations with GI conditions in the United States, 2018-2020.
GI, gastrointestinal; NA, not applicable.
| Variables | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | p-Value |
| Age in years, n (%) | <0.001 | |||
| 18-44 | 323,800 (22.3%) | 319,060 (22.0%) | 290,485 (22.9%) | |
| 45-64 | 486,865 (33.6%) | 478,075 (32.9%) | 412,290 (32.5%) | |
| 65-84 | 520,100 (35.9%) | 535,080 (36.8%) | 469,205 (37.0%) | |
| ≥85 | 119,930 (8.3%) | 120,655 (8.3%) | 97,790 (7.7%) | |
| Sex, n (%) | <0.001 | |||
| Male | 686,180 (46.2%) | 687,270 (46.3%) | 615,360 (47.4%) | |
| Female | 798,540 (53.8%) | 798,190 (53.7%) | 683,850 (52.6%) | |
| Race, n (%) | 0.977 | |||
| White | 985,965 (67.9%) | 993,890 (68.3%) | 862,870 (67.8%) | |
| African American | 193,710 (13.3%) | 194,895 (13.4%) | 175,500 (13.8%) | |
| Hispanic | 187,300 (12.9%) | 180,395 (12.4%) | 157,800 (12.4%) | |
| Asian Pacific Islander | 35,305 (2.4%) | 35,930 (2.5%) | 30,955 (2.4%) | |
| Native American | 9,945 (0.7%) | 10,470 (0.7%) | 9,535 (0.7%) | |
| Other | 40,705 (2.8%) | 40,010 (2.7%) | 35,110 (2.8%) | |
| Payer, n (%) | 0.022 | |||
| Medicare | 709,615 (47.9%) | 715,475 (48.2%) | 611,025 (47.1%) | |
| Medicaid | 225,875 (15.2%) | 221,080 (14.9%) | 205,140 (15.8%) | |
| Private | 418,025 (28.2%) | 414,750 (28.0%) | 360,980 (27.8%) | |
| Self-pay | 87,825 (5.9%) | 88,220 (5.9%) | 79,225 (6.1%) | |
| No charge | 7,540 (0.5%) | 7,340 (0.5%) | 6,810 (0.5%) | |
| Other | 34,035 (2.3%) | 36,985 (2.5%) | 34,390 (2.7%) | |
| Income quartiles, n (%) | 0.074 | |||
| First quartile | 416,975 (28.5%) | 433,345 (29.6%) | 375,320 (29.3%) | |
| Second quartile | 396,115 (27.1%) | 371,195 (25.4%) | 348,080 (27.2%) | |
| Third quartile | 354,910 (24.3%) | 361,770 (24.7%) | 299,540 (23.4%) | |
| Fourth quartile | 292,745 (20.0%) | 295,595 (20.2%) | 256,370 (20.0%) | |
| Hospital size, n (%) | 0.664 | |||
| Small | 337,954 (22.8%) | 357,284 (24.1%) | 318,395 (24.5%) | |
| Medium | 455,260 (30.7%) | 449,075 (30.2%) | 379,970 (29.2%) | |
| Large | 691,581 (46.6%) | 679,171 (45.7%) | 600,901 (46.2%) | |
| Hospital region, n (%) | 0.999 | |||
| Northeast | 278,265 (18.7%) | 275,511 (18.5%) | 238,140 (18.3%) | |
| Midwest | 320,860 (21.6%) | 318,505 (21.4%) | 281,475 (21.7%) | |
| South | 589,121 (39.7%) | 596,475 (40.2%) | 520,690 (40.1%) | |
| West | 296,549 (20.0%) | 295,040 (19.9%) | 258,960 (19.9%) | |
| Hospital location and teaching status, n (%) | 0.023 | |||
| Rural | 139,464 (9.4%) | 133,990 (9.0%) | 117,590 (9.1%) | |
| Urban nonteaching | 346,646 (23.3%) | 306,625 (20.6%) | 263,615 (20.3%) | |
| Urban teaching | 998,685 (67.3%) | 1,044,915 (70.3%) | 918,059 (70.7%) | |
| Elixhauser comorbidity index, n (%) | <0.001 | |||
| 0 | 145,320 (9.8%) | 138,100 (9.3%) | 109,440 (8.4%) | |
| 1 | 233,590 (15.7%) | 225,590 (15.2%) | 184,385 (14.2%) | |
| 2 | 276,585 (18.6%) | 272,605 (18.4%) | 230,130 (17.7%) | |
| ≥3 | 829,300 (55.9%) | 849,235 (57.2%) | 775,310 (59.7%) | |
| All-cause mortality, n (%) | 13,380 (0.9%) | 13,460 (0.9%) | 13,835 (1.1%) | <0.001 |
| COVID-19, n (%) | NA | NA | 17,995 (1.4%) | NA |
| COVID-19 mortality, n (%) | NA | NA | 960 (5.3%) | NA |
| Viral pneumonia, n (%) | 420 | 480 | 6,660 (0.5%) | <0.001 |
| Viral pneumonia mortality, n (%) | 11 (2.4%) | 20 (4.2%) | 785 (11.9%) | 0.002 |