Table 1.
Characteristics of the study sample at their index admission
| All participants (N=32 832) |
||
|---|---|---|
| N | Per cent | |
| Demographic characteristics | ||
| Sex | ||
| Male | 16 812 | 51.2 |
| Female | 16 020 | 48.8 |
| Age | ||
| 45–59 | 9666 | 29.4 |
| 60–79 | 16 624 | 50.6 |
| 80+ | 6540 | 19.9 |
| Country of birth | ||
| Australia | 25 001 | 76.2 |
| Other | 7448 | 22.7 |
| Unknown | 383 | 1.2 |
| Highest education level | ||
| No school | 5196 | 15.8 |
| Year 10 or equivalent | 7894 | 24.0 |
| Year 12 or equivalent | 2975 | 9.1 |
| Trade | 4270 | 13.0 |
| Certificate | 6109 | 18.6 |
| University degree | 5662 | 17.3 |
| Unknown | 726 | 2.2 |
| Household income ($, per annum) | ||
| <20 000 | 9077 | 27.7 |
| 20 000–<50 000 | 8223 | 25.1 |
| 500 000–<70 000 | 2560 | 7.8 |
| 70 000+ | 5042 | 15.4 |
| Not disclosed | 6003 | 18.3 |
| Missing | 1927 | 5.9 |
| Functional status | ||
| No limitation | 4915 | 15.0 |
| Mild limitation | 6011 | 18.3 |
| Moderate limitation | 8701 | 26.5 |
| Severe limitation | 10 121 | 30.8 |
| Missing | 3084 | 9.4 |
| Admission characteristics | ||
| Admission type | ||
| Surgical | 15 464 | 47.1 |
| Other | 1439 | 4.4 |
| Medical | 15 929 | 48.5 |
| Emergency status | ||
| Emergency | 13 484 | 41.1 |
| Planned | 17 544 | 53.4 |
| Other | 1803 | 5.5 |
| Hospital of admission | ||
| Hospital type | ||
| Public | 18 734 | 57.1 |
| Private | 14 096 | 42.9 |
| Hospital remoteness | ||
| Major city | 19 754 | 60.2 |
| Inner regional | 8424 | 25.7 |
| Outer regional | 4137 | 12.6 |
| Remote/very remote | 363 | 1.1 |
| Hospital depth of coding | ||
| 1—least comprehensive | 1629 | 5.0 |
| 2 | 8803 | 26.8 |
| 3 | 11 543 | 35.2 |
| 4—most comprehensive | 10 857 | 33.1 |
| Hospital peer group | ||
| Principal referral | 6329 | 19.3 |
| Major | 11 052 | 33.7 |
| District | 6862 | 20.8 |
| Community | 7018 | 21.4 |
| Other | 1571 | 4.8 |