Table 3.
Variables associated with inappropriate use of emergency services (15 – 49 years-old): crude and multivariable analysis. Pelotas, Brazil, 2004
| Variables | N | Prevalence (%) | Crude PR (95% CI) | P | Adjusted PR (95% CI) | P |
| First level | ||||||
| Sex | <0.001 | <0.001 | ||||
| Male | 513 | 20.9 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Female | 526 | 31.8 | 1.52 (1.23 – 1.88) | 1.52 (1.23 – 1.88) | ||
| Skin color | 0.09 | 0.11 | ||||
| White | 793 | 25.1 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Non-white | 246 | 30.5 | 1.21 (0.97 – 1.52) | 1.20 (0.96 – 1.50) | ||
| Marital status | 0.15 | 0.12 | ||||
| Living without a partner | 588 | 28.6 | 1.16 (0.95 – 1.42) | 1.17 (0.96 – 1.44) | ||
| Living with a partner | 452 | 24.7 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Second level | ||||||
| Level of education – years of formal education | 0.13* | 0.15* | ||||
| 0 – 4 | 210 | 21.0 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| 5–8 | 493 | 28.0 | 1.34 (0.99 – 1.80) | 1.35 (1.00 – 1.81) | ||
| 9 or more | 336 | 27.5 | 1.31 (0.96 – 1.80) | 1.31 (0.95 – 1.80) | ||
| Third level | ||||||
| Fourth level | ||||||
| Visited PHC | 0.02# | 0.17# | ||||
| Last year | 517 | 30.4 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Longer than one year | 234 | 23.5 | 0.77 (0.59 – 1.01) | 0.06 | 0.79 (0.60 – 1.03) | 0.08 |
| Never went there | 283 | 21.6 | 0.71 (0.55 – 0.92) | 0.01 | 0.82 (0.57 – 1.17) | 0.27 |
| Regular doctor | 0.19 | 0.12 | ||||
| No | 243 | 27.4 | 1.19 (0.92 – 1.54) | 1.23 (0.95 – 1.60) | ||
| Yes | 797 | 23.1 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| The reason for choosing the emergency service was that he/she was unable to make an appointment elsewhere | 0.009 | 0.04 | ||||
| No | 964 | 25.4 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 76 | 38.2 | 1.50 (1.10 – 2.04) | 1.38 (1.01 – 1.89) | ||
| Number of shifts per day at the PHC service | 0.004# | 0.009# | ||||
| One shift | 116 | 31.9 | 1.64 (1.11 – 2.42) | 0.01 | 1.63 (1.11 – 2.40) | 0.01 |
| Two shifts | 548 | 29.9 | 1.54 (1.13 – 2.10) | 0.006 | 1.53 (1.12 – 2.08) | 0.007 |
| Three shifts | 201 | 19.4 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Did not use the PHC | 125 | 18.6 | 0.96 (0.60 – 1.52) | 0.85 | 0.99 (0.61 – 1.61) | 0.97 |
| Doctor at the regular place of care refuses to attend without previous appointment | 0.009 | 0.04 | ||||
| No | 947 | 25.4 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Yes | 55 | 40.0 | 1.58 (1.12 – 2.22) | 1.44 (1.02 – 2.02) | ||
| Subject was referred by a health worker | 0.03 | 0.05 | ||||
| No | 866 | 27.6 | 1.44 (1.04 – 1.99) | 1.40 (1.01 – 1.94) | ||
| Yes | 172 | 19.2 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
PR: prevalence ratio, CI: confidence interval, * Test for linear trend, # Test for heterogeneity, PHC: primary health care, Variables in the third level and variables not presented in the first and fourth level had p-value > 0,2 and were excluded form the final model