Table 1.
Severity level and main causes of medical errors resolved by court in Spain and Massachusetts
| Spain | Massachusetts | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| % (95%CI) | % (95%CI) | p-value | |
| n=270 | n=274 | ||
| Severity | <0.001* | ||
| Low | 12.6 (8.6 to 16.6) | 3.3 (1.2 to 5.4) | |
| Medium | 28.5 (23.1 to 33.9) | 29.6 (24.2 to 35.0) | |
| High | 58.9 (53.0 to 64.8) | 67.2 (61.6 to 72.8) | |
| Contributory factors | 0.001* | ||
| Medical treatment | 19.3 (14.6 to 24.0) | 10.6 (6.9 to 14.2) | |
| Obstetrics-related treatment | 15.9 (11.6 to 20.3) | 11.7 (7.9 to 15.5) | |
| Surgical treatment | 22.2 (17.3 to 27.2) | 21.9 (17.0 to 26.8) | |
| Anaesthesia-related treatment | 1.8 (0.2 to 3.5) | 4.0 (1.7 to 6.3) | |
| Diagnosis-related | 25.2 (20.7 to 31.1) | 35.0 (29.4 to 40.7) | |
| Medication-related | 4.4 (2.0 to 6.9) | 7.7 (4.5 to 10.8) | |
| Others | 10.0 (6.4 to 13.6) | 9.1 (5.7 to 12.5) |
*χ2 Test.