Table 2.
Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for non-emergent ED visits from three representative study cohorts (LHID2000, LHID2005, LHID2010) in Taiwan. (n = 1,000,000 for each cohort; total ED visits, n = 475,862).
| Characteristics | Adjusted Odds Ratios | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOR | (95 % C.I.) | p-Value | Sig. 1 | |
| Systematic-level factor | ||||
| 2000 | -ref- | |||
| 2005 | 1.12 | (1.10–1.14) | <0.001 | *** |
| 2010 | 1.30 | (1.28–1.32) | <0.001 | *** |
| Personal-level factors | ||||
| Demographic factors | ||||
| Gender | ||||
| Female | 1.27 | (1.26–1.29) | <0.001 | *** |
| Male | -ref- | |||
| Age group | ||||
| 0-19 | 1.36 | (1.32–1.40) | <0.001 | *** |
| 20-39 | 1.18 | (1.15–1.21) | <0.001 | *** |
| 40-59 | 1.12 | (1.09–1.16) | <0.001 | *** |
| 60-79 | 1.14 | (1.11–1.17) | <0.001 | *** |
| 80- | -ref- | |||
| Comorbidities | ||||
| Charlson‘s index | 1.00 | (1.00–1.00) | <0.001 | *** |
| Socioeconomic factors | ||||
| Income level (NTD) | ||||
| Dependent | 1.07 | (1.05–1.09) | <0.001 | *** |
| 1–19999 | -ref- | |||
| 20000–39999 | 1.05 | (1.03–1.07) | <0.001 | *** |
| 40000– | 1.12 | (1.09–1.15) | <0.001 | *** |
| Geographical Residence | ||||
| Northern area | 1.12 | (1.08–1.16) | <0.001 | *** |
| East area | -ref- | |||
| Middle area | 1.31 | (1.27–1.36) | <0.001 | *** |
| Southern area | 1.25 | (1.20–1.29) | <0.001 | *** |
| Urbanization of living area | ||||
| Most urbanization | 1.11 | (1.08–1.13) | <0.001 | *** |
| More urbanization | 1.11 | (1.08–1.13) | <0.001 | *** |
| Middle urbanization | 1.08 | (1.05–1.10) | <0.001 | *** |
| Less urbanization | 1.07 | (1.05–1.10) | <0.001 | *** |
| Least urbanization | -ref- | |||
| Past health utilization in last year | ||||
| No. of hospitalizations | ||||
| None | 1.20 | (1.17–1.23) | <0.001 | *** |
| One time | 1.11 | (1.08–1.13) | <0.001 | *** |
| ≥ two times | -ref- | |||
| No. of ED visits | ||||
| None | 1.11 | (1.09–1.13) | <0.001 | *** |
| Low (1–2 times) | 1.06 | (1.04–1.08) | <0.001 | *** |
| High (≥3 times) | -ref- | |||
| No. of outpatient visits | ||||
| Low (0–11 times) | -ref- | |||
| Middle (12–26 times) | 1.02 | (1.00–1.03) | 0.03 | * |
| High (≥ 27 times) | 1.04 | (1.02–1.06) | <0.001 | *** |
| No. of TCM outpatient visits 2 | ||||
| None | -ref- | |||
| Low (1–2 times) | 1.04 | (1.02–1.05) | <0.001 | *** |
| High (≥ 3 times) | 1.05 | (1.04–1.07) | <0.001 | *** |
| ED visit-level factors | ||||
| Hospital accreditation level | ||||
| Medical centers | -ref- | |||
| Metropolitan hospitals | 1.14 | (1.12–1.16) | <0.001 | *** |
| Local community hospitals | 1.16 | (1.14–1.17) | <0.001 | *** |
| Season | ||||
| Spring (Mar–May) | 1.02 | (1.00–1.04) | 0.02 | * |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 1.13 | (1.12–1.15) | <0.001 | *** |
| Fall (Sep–Nov) | 1.05 | (1.03–1.06) | <0.001 | *** |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | -ref- | |||
| Public holiday | ||||
| No | -ref- | |||
| Yes | 1.02 | (1.02–1.05) | 0.056 | |
| Day of the Week | ||||
| Monday | 1.05 | (1.02–1.07) | <0.001 | *** |
| Tuesday | 1.04 | (1.02–1.06) | 0.001 | ** |
| Wednesday | 1.02 | (1.02–1.06) | 0.129 | |
| Thursday | -ref- | |||
| Friday | 1.02 | (1.00–1.04) | 0.091 | |
| Saturday | 1.02 | (0.99–1.05) | 0.131 | |
| Sunday | 1.09 | (1.06–1.12) | <0.001 | *** |
| Cost-sharing payment | ||||
| Yes | -ref- | |||
| Waived | 1.14 | (1.12–1.16) | <0.001 | *** |
1 Significance level: *: p < 0.05; **: p < 0.01; ***: p < 0.001. 2 TCM: Traditional Chinese Medicine was considered a mainstream visit in addition to outpatient clinics and was covered in Taiwan’s insurance scheme.