Table 1.
Characteristics of Patients Who Chose to Leave Against Medical Advice from a Connecticut Hospital Compared with Regional and National Characteristics*
| Study patient demographics | Regional demographics | US demographics | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age, years | 44.8 | 36.7 | 36.2 |
| Male, (%) | 68.8 | 47.3 | 49.1 |
| Race, (%) | |||
| White | 68.8 | 67.1 | 75.1 |
| African American | 12.5 | 16.3 | 12.3 |
| Hispanic | 18.7 | 21.8 | 12.5 |
| Asian | 0 | 1.5 | 3.6 |
| High school or greater education, % | — | 71.7 | 80.4 |
| Marital status (married), % | 25.0† | 45.0 | 54.4 |
| Employment rate, % | 25.0‡ | 61.2 | 63.9 |
| Median per capita income, $ | — | 17,701 | 21,587 |
| Uninsured, % | 37.0 | 10.4§ | 15.3%|| |
*Regional and national demographics were obtained from the 2000 Census Report except were indicated (Census 2000 demographic profiles. Available athttp://www.ctnow.com/extras/census/0600900980070.pdf.) Regional demographics are specific to Waterbury, Connecticut except for the uninsured rate
†Marital status was unknown for 13% of patients
‡Employment status was not available for 19% of patients
§Represents Connecticut’s overall uninsured rate obtained from U.S. Census Bureau. Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006. http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/p60-233.pdf
||National uninsured rate obtained from U.S. Census Bureau. Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006. http://www.census.gov/prod/2007pubs/p60-233.pdf