Table 3 Estimated probabilities of “time to diagnose and treat”, investigations and admissions among patients aged 30 years or less and patients aged over 70 years in 1990 and 2004.
| Event | Year | Probability (95% CI) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Event | age ⩽30 years | Event | age >70 years | ||
| D&T<1 h | 1990 | 0.748 (0.740 to 0.755) | 0.464 (0.439 to 0.489) |
| D&T<1 h | 2004 | 0.637 (0.630 to 0.645) | 0.247 (0.235 to 0.260) |
| Full blood count | 1990 | 0.019 (0.017 to 0.022) | 0.199 (0.180 to 0.219) |
| Full blood count | 2004 | 0.114 (0.109 to 0.119) | 0.616 (0.602 to 0.629) |
| Electrocardiograph | 1990 | 0.003 (0.002 to 0.004) | 0.225 (0.205 to 0.246) |
| Electrocardiograph | 2004 | 0.034 (0.031 to 0.036) | 0.475 (0.461 to 0.489) |
| X ray | 1990 | 0.286 (0.278 to 0.294) | 0.453 (0.429 to 0.478) |
| X ray | 2004 | 0.385 (0.377 to 0.392) | 0.606 (0.592 to 0.620) |
| Admission | 1990 | 0.081 (0.076 to 0.085) | 0.459 (0.435 to 0.483) |
| Admission | 2004 | 0.127 (0.122 to 0.132) | 0.602 (0.588 to 0.616) |
Notice that for each event, the difference between the probabilities for each age group increases from 1990 to 2004—there is a widening gap.