Table 1.
Characteristics of subjects aged ≥60 years with an adverse drug reaction (ADR) causing hospitalization, WA 1980–2003
| Characteristic | Subjects (N = 37296) | Frequency (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Age at first ADR (years) | ||
| <65 | 5067 | 13.6 |
| 65–69 | 5813 | 15.6 |
| 70–74 | 7188 | 19.3 |
| 75–79 | 7495 | 20.1 |
| ≥80 | 11 733 | 31.5 |
| Calendar period of first ADR (years) | ||
| 1980–1984 | 2280 | 6.1 |
| 1985–1989 | 3999 | 10.7 |
| 1990–1994 | 6995 | 18.0 |
| 1995–1999 | 11 356 | 30.4 |
| 2000–2003 | 12 966 | 34.8 |
| Gender | ||
| Male | 16 361 | 43.9 |
| Female | 20 935 | 56.1 |
| Race | ||
| Non-Aboriginal or TSI | 36 954 | 99.1 |
| Aboriginal and/or TSI | 342 | 0.9 |
| Residential location | ||
| Metropolitan | 30 900 | 82.9 |
| Regional | 6396 | 17.1 |
| Hospital of first ADR admission | ||
| Public | 29 536 | 79.2 |
| Private | 7022 | 18.8 |
| Missing | 738 | 2.0 |
| No. of comorbidity | ||
| 0 | 1657 | 4.4 |
| 1–3 | 12 619 | 33.9 |
| 4–6 | 12 381 | 33.2 |
| ≥7 | 10 639 | 28.5 |
| Repeat ADRs | ||
| No | 30 443 | 81.6 |
| Yes | 6853 | 18.4 |
| Survival status at the end of the study | ||
| Alive | 14 575 | 39.1 |
| Dead | 22 721 | 60.9 |
TSI, Torres Strait Islander.