Table 1.
Demographic characteristics of adult patients presenting to U.S. EDs for prescription opioid poisonings from 2006 – 2011
| Characteristic | N% |
|---|---|
| Total Number | 259,093 |
| Age, years | 45.5 |
| Gender | |
| Male | 123,399 (47.63) |
| Female | 135,654 (52.36)↑ |
| Payer | |
| Medicare | 76,700 (29.60)↑ |
| Medicaid | 54,569 (21.06) |
| Private insurance | 62,453 (24.10) |
| Self-pay | 49,116 (18.96) |
| Other/No charge | 15,300 (5.91) |
| Income‡ | |
| 1st quartile | 73,876 (28.51) |
| 2nd quartile | 74,126 (28.61) |
| 3rd quartile | 60,628 (23.40) |
| 4th quartile | 42,510 (16.41)↓ |
| Region of Hospital | |
| Northeast | 36,477 (14.08) |
| Midwest | 53,976 (20.83) |
| South | 106,048 (40.93)↑ |
| West | 62,591 (24.16) |
| Type of ED Event | |
| Treated and Released | 108,504 (41.88) |
| Admitted | 140,395 (54.19)↑ |
ED = emergency department
Estimates are weighted numbers of visits
Percentages are column percentages
Numbers may not add to 100% due to missing data
↑
Significantly higher (p < .05) than all other categories
↓
Significantly lower (p < .05) than all other categories
‡
Estimated median household income of residents in the patient's ZIP Code; 1st quartile = ≤ $38,999; 2nd quartile =$39,000–$47,999; 3rd quartile $48,000–$62,999; 4th quartile ≥$63,000.