Table 6.

Higher numbers of health care visits among CU respondents relative to controls

	Matched comparisons			Regression estimates for CU relative to controls
	Controls, (n = 508) Mean (SD)	CU, (n = 127) Mean (SD)	p value	RR (95% CI)	p value
Total HCP visits	5.2 (7.9)	12.3 (13.1)	<0.001	1.95 (1.51–2.51)	<0.001
GP visits	1.0 (2.5)	1.4 (2.5)	0.098	1.48 (1.00–2.18)	0.050
Allergist visits	0.1 (0.4)	0.9 (1.8)	<0.001	8.02 (4.64–13.86)	<0.001
Psychiatrist visits	0.2 (0.9)	0.6 (1.8)	0.022	1.89 (0.89–4.02)	0.097
Psychologist/psychotherapist visits	0.6 (3.3)	1.7 (5.6)	0.033	1.84 (0.63–5.35)	0.264
ER visits	0.6 (1.4)	1.8 (4.6)	0.005	2.11 (1.34–3.31)	0.001
Hospitalizations	0.2 (0.7)	0.5 (1.2)	0.013	1.57 (0.87–2.84)	0.138

CI confidence interval, CU chronic urticaria, ER emergency room, GP general practitioner, HCP healthcare provider, RR rate ratio, SD standard deviation