Table 2.
Demographic characteristics of the sample.
| Characteristic | Level | Number (percentage) |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Girls | 215 (43) |
| Boys | 285 (57) | |
|
| ||
| Family | Live with their two parents | 415 (83) |
| Live with their mother | 75 (15) | |
| Live with someone else | 10 (2) | |
|
| ||
| Parents' presence | Both parents are present | 395 (79) |
| One parent is present | 105 (21) | |
|
| ||
| Parents' mean ages | Mother | 34.60 |
| Father | 37.00 | |
|
| ||
| Health insurance | No supplementary insurance | 15 (3) |
| Supplementary insurance through employers | 430 (86) | |
| Insurance through the state-financed program for poor people | 55 (11) | |
|
| ||
| Delay between symptom onset and PED visit |
Less than 12 hours | 265 (53) |
| Between 12 and 24 hours | 85 (17) | |
| More than 24 hours | 150 (30) | |
|
| ||
| Prior visit to a physician | Family physician | 85 (37) |
| Pediatrician | 50 (10) | |
| Mobile doctor service∗ | 20 (4) | |
| No | 250 (50) | |
|
| ||
| Number of previous visits to the PED∗∗ |
None | 165 (33) |
| One | 160 (32) | |
| Two | 135 (27) | |
| More | 40 (8) | |
|
| ||
| Type of health problem | Illness | 265 (53) |
| Trauma | 160 (32) | |
| Other | 75 (15) | |
|
| ||
| Decision to hospitalize | No | 455 (91) |
| Yes | 45 (9) | |
∗The mobile doctor service will make urgent visits to patients' homes on nights and weekends in response to telephone calls from the patients.
∗∗As indicated by the parents.