TABLE 3.

Adjusted hazard ratios for overall wait times

Variable	Variable category	Hazard ratio*	95% CI
Year of diagnosis	2001	1	Reference
	2002	0.79	0.70–0.89
	2003	0.81	0.72–0.92
	2004	0.74	0.65–0.83
	2005	0.70	0.62–0.80
Age at diagnosis, years	<50	1	Reference
	50–59	0.97	0.81–1.16
	60–69	0.99	0.84–1.16
	70–79	0.86	0.73–1.01
	≥80	0.69	0.58–0.81
Place of residence	Rural	1	Reference
	Urban	0.88	0.81–0.96
CCI score	0–1	1	Reference
	2	1.24	1.13–1.35
	≥3	0.86	0.76–0.96
First GI test†	Lower GI endoscopy	1	Reference
	FOBT	0.36	0.30–0.42
	Radiology	0.79	0.72–0.87
Prediagnosis ER admission‡	No prediagnosis ER admission	1.0	Reference
	Prediagnosis ER admission	4.3	3.70–4.90
Place of diagnosis	Nonteaching hospital	1	Reference
	Teaching hospital	0.84	0.76–0.93

Identical models developed by backward and forward stepwise regression analyses.

^*Lower hazard ratios indicate longer overall wait times;

^†Hazard ratio at the time of index contact;

^‡Admission through the emergency room within the 30 days preceding the diagnosis of colorectal cancer. CCI Charlson comorbidity index; ER Emergency room; FOBT Fecal occult blood test; GI Gastrointestinal