. 2008 May 2;8:97. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-8-97

Table 1.

Characteristics of patients attending the Emergency Department (ED) by visit frequency

	All patients (n = 1360)		Patients with more than one visit in the previous year				Patients with the index visit within 72 hours after a previous one

			No (n = 654)		Yes (n = 706)		No (n = 1145)		Yes (n = 215)
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%

Gender
Male	771	56.7	377	57.6	394	55.8	645	56.3	126	58.6
Female	589	43.3	277	42.4	312	44.2	500	43.7	89	41.4
							χ²= 0.38, 1 df, p = 0.54

Age (years)	46.7 ± 18.8 (16–97)*		43.8 ± 17.9 (16–95)*		49.3 ± 19.2 (16–97)*		47.2 ± 18.8 (16–97)*		44.2 ± 18.5 (16–88)*
							t test = 2.14, df = 1358, p = 0.033

Marital status
Married	865	63.6	413	63.1	452	64	738	64.4	127	59.1
Other	495	36.4	241	36.9	254	36	407	35.6	88	40.9
							χ²= 2.27, 1 df, p = 0.13

Educational level (years of schooling)	8.1 ± 4 (0–23)*		8.7 ± 4.2 (0–23)*		7.6 ± 3.7 (0–20)*		8.1 ± 4 (0–23)*		8.1 ± 3.8 (0–18)*
							t test = 0.18, df = 1358, p = 0.86

Number of other persons in the household
0	115	8.5	45	6.9	70	9.9	99	8.6	16	7.4
1	221	16.2	88	13.5	133	18.8	184	16.1	37	17.2
2	298	21.9	165	25.2	133	18.8	254	22.2	44	20.5
3	359	26.4	182	27.8	177	25.1	292	25.5	67	31.2
4	367	27	174	26.6	193	27.4	316	27.6	51	23.7
							χ²= 3.9, 4 df, p = 0.42

Employment status
Unemployed	811	59.6	355	54.3	456	64.6	678	59.2	133	61.9
Employed	549	40.4	299	45.7	250	35.4	467	40.8	82	38.1
							χ²= 0.53, 1 df, p = 0.47

Distance from patients' home to hospital (Km)
< 1	819	60.2	372	56.9	447	63.3	686	59.9	133	61.9
1–10	332	24.4	169	25.8	163	23.1	278	24.3	54	25.1
> 10	209	15.4	113	17.3	96	13.6	181	15.8	28	13
							χ²= 1.08, 2 df, p = 0.58

Day of the week of attending the ED
Monday-Friday	1193	87.7	598	91.4	595	84.3	1015	88.6	178	82.8
Saturday-Sunday	167	12.3	56	8.6	111	15.7	130	11.4	37	17.2
							χ²= 5.76, 1 df, p = 0.016

Arrival time at the ED
8.00 AM-1.59 PM	796	58.5	389	59.5	407	57.6	668	58.3	128	59.5
2.00 PM-7.59 AM	564	41.5	265	40.5	299	42.4	477	41.7	87	40.5
							χ²= 0.11, 1 df, p = 0.74

Mode of transportation to the ED
Ambulance	82	6	43	6.6	39	5.5	76	6.6	6	2.8
Car driven by other person	1011	74.4	479	73.2	532	75.4	844	73.7	167	77.7
Car driven by patient/On foot	267	19.6	132	20.2	135	19.1	225	19.7	42	19.5
							χ²= 4.83, 2 df, p = 0.09

On pharmacological treatment
Yes	513	37.7	186	28.4	327	46.3	444	38.8	69	32.1
No	847	62.3	468	71.6	379	53.7	701	61.2	146	67.9
							χ²= 3.44, 1 df, p = 0.06

Charlson et al. comorbidity index	0.5 ± 1 (0–8)*		0.3 ± 0.8 (0–6)*		0.6 ± 1.1 (0–8)*		0.5 ± 1 (0–8)*		0.4 ± 1 (0–6)*
							t test = 1.05, df = 1358, p = 0.29

Basic Activities of Daily Living score	5.7 ± 1.1 (0–6)*		5.9 ± 0.8 (0–6)*		5.6 ± 1.3 (0–6)*		5.7 ± 1.1 (0–6)*		5.7 ± 1.1 (0–6)*
							t test = -0.28, df = 1358, p = 0.78

Referral to the ED
Physician	110	8.1	45	6.9	65	9.2	75	6.6	35	16.3
Self/relatives	1250	91.9	609	93.1	641	90.8	1070	93.4	180	83.7
							χ²= 23.05, 1 df, p < 0.001

Principal reason for attending the ED
Non-traumatic injuries	998	73.4	418	63.9	580	82.1	835	72.9	163	75.8
Traumatic injuries	362	26.6	236	36.1	126	17.9	310	27.1	52	24.2
							χ²= 0.77, 1 df, p = 0.38

Duration of presenting problem prior to arrive at the ED (hours)
< 1	474	34.9	272	41.6	202	28.6	431	37.6	43	20
1–24	610	44.8	288	44	322	45.6	499	43.6	111	51.6
> 24	276	20.3	94	14.4	182	25.8	215	18.8	61	28.4
							χ²= 26.99, 2 df, p < 0.001

Diagnostic investigation(s) received at the ED
Yes	758	55.7	376	57.5	382	54.1	656	57.3	102	47.4
No	602	44.3	278	42.5	324	45.9	489	42.7	113	52.6
							χ²= 7.01, 1 df, p = 0.008

Therapeutic procedure(s) received at the ED
Yes	711	52.3	327	50	384	54.4	615	53.7	96	44.7
No	649	47.7	327	50	322	45.6	530	46.3	119	55.3
							χ²= 5.96, 1 df, p = 0.015

Physician consultation(s) received at the ED
Yes	701	51.5	302	46.2	399	56.5	574	50.1	127	59.1
No	659	48.5	352	53.8	307	43.5	571	49.9	88	40.9
							χ²= 5.79, 1 df, p = 0.016

Level of urgent care
Emergency	428	31.5	219	33.5	209	29.6	363	31.7	65	30.2
Urgent	654	48.1	308	47.1	346	49	554	48.4	100	46.5
Non-urgent	278	20.4	127	19.4	151	21.4	228	19.9	50	23.3
							χ²= 1.25, 2 df, p = 0.54

ED discharge diagnosis
Medical	691	50.8	284	43.4	407	57.6	595	52	96	44.7
Surgical	669	49.2	370	56.6	299	42.4	550	48	119	55.3
							χ²= 3.87, 1 df, p = 0.049

Hospital admission after ED visit
Yes	203	14.9	80	12.2	123	17.4	162	14.2	41	19.1
No	1157	85.1	574	87.8	583	82.6	983	85.8	174	80.9
							χ²= 3.45, 1 df, p = 0.06

Prescription of therapy
Yes	772	56.8	407	62.2	365	51.7	672	58.7	100	46.5
No	588	43.2	247	37.8	341	48.3	473	41.3	115	53.5
							χ²= 10.94, 1 df, p = 0.001

Prescription of physician examination(s)
Yes	511	37.6	241	36.9	270	38.2	428	37.4	83	38.6
No	849	62.4	413	63.1	436	61.8	717	62.6	132	61.4
							χ²= 0.12, 1 df, p = 0.73

Number of ED visits in the previous year
1	654	48.1	-	-	-	-	654	57.1	-	-
2	536	39.4	-	-	536	75.9	376	32.8	160	74.4
3	148	10.9	-	-	148	21	106	9.3	42	19.5
≥4	22	1.6	-	-	22	3.1	9	0.8	13	6.1
							χ²= 250.74, 3 df, p < 0.001

*Mean ± Standard deviation (Range)