Table 3.
Characteristics of 108,455 WA CRD Patients ≥65 years 1992–2006 by Groups of GP Visit Regularity
| Least regular | 2nd least regular | Medium regular | 2nd most regular | Most regular | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | 20.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 | 20.0 |
| Mean age ± SD at start of follow-up | 74.4 ± 7.5 | 71.8 ± 6.9 | 71.1 ± 6.3 | 71.7 ± 6.5 | 73.0 ± 7.0 |
| % Female patients | 45.0 | 52.0 | 56.0 | 59.1 | 63.5 |
| % Indigenous patients | 0.79 | 0.74 | 0.43 | 0.48 | 0.43 |
| Mean ± SD GP visit numbera | 7.8 ± 6.3 | 18.8 ± 10.2 | 26.1 ± 10.8 | 36.6 ± 12.1 | 61.9 ± 26.7 |
| Socioeconomic status quintile (%) | |||||
| Least disadvantaged | 20.1 | 19.9 | 20.3 | 19.7 | 19.4 |
| 2nd least disadvantaged | 19.6 | 20.3 | 19.9 | 19.5 | 20.2 |
| Medium disadvantaged | 20.6 | 19.5 | 20.1 | 20.2 | 19.8 |
| 2nd most disadvantaged | 19.9 | 20.5 | 20.6 | 20.6 | 19.0 |
| Most disadvantaged | 19.8 | 19.8 | 19.2 | 20.0 | 21.6 |
| Residential remoteness (%) | |||||
| Major cities | 73.5 | 70.9 | 73.2 | 76.9 | 84.1 |
| Inner regional | 12.5 | 14.5 | 14.9 | 13.2 | 9.4 |
| Outer regional | 10.5 | 11.6 | 9.7 | 8.3 | 5.3 |
| Remote | 2.9 | 2.6 | 1.9 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
| Very remote | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Charlson Index of Comorbidity (%) | |||||
| 0 | 20.9 | 29.6 | 30.0 | 25.5 | 17.2 |
| 1–2 | 26.8 | 29.7 | 31.3 | 31.7 | 28.4 |
| 3–5 | 26.1 | 22.8 | 22.8 | 25.6 | 31.1 |
| 6+ | 26.2 | 17.9 | 15.9 | 17.3 | 23.4 |
*During the 3-year exposure period