Table 2.
Characteristics of non-specific but concerning symptoms (NSCS) and non-NSCS patients and primary care intervals (median and IQR)
| Frequencies | P value* | Primary care interval (days) | |||
| NSCS | Non-NSCS | NSCS | Non-NSCS | ||
| n (%) | n (%) | Median (IQR) | Median (IQR) | ||
| Total | 2794 (21.7) | 10 079 (78.3) | 12 (1–39) | 3 (0–23) | |
| Age group | |||||
| 0–24 | 33 (1.18) | 123 (1.22) | <0.001 | 0 (0–47.5) | 5 (0–29) |
| 25–44 | 105 (3.76) | 712 (7.06) | 13 (0–45) | 0 (0–15) | |
| 45–59 | 387 (13.85) | 1865 (18.50) | 13 (0–42) | 1 (0–19) | |
| 60–69 | 645 (23.09) | 2439 (24.20) | 14 (1–41) | 5 (0–28) | |
| 70–79 | 827 (29.60) | 2759 (27.37) | 13 (1–42) | 4 (0–24) | |
| 80+ | 797 (28.53) | 2181 (21.64) | 9 (1–31) | 3 (0–22) | |
| Sex | |||||
| Male | 1410 (50.47) | 5191 (51.50) | 0.331 | 11 (0–36) | 7 (0–29) |
| Female | 1384 (49.53) | 4888 (48.50) | 13 (1–43) | 0 (0–15) | |
| Deprivation quintile | |||||
| 1—least deprived | 557 (19.94) | 2227 (22.10) | 0.050 | 11 (1–36) | 3 (0–23) |
| 2 | 599 (21.44) | 2182 (21.65) | 13 (1–41) | 3 (0–26) | |
| 3 | 595 (21.30) | 2182 (21.65) | 11.5 (1–35) | 2 (0–23) | |
| 4 | 567 (20.29) | 1900 (18.85) | 11 (0–42.5) | 2 (0–21) | |
| 5—most deprived | 476 (17.04) | 1588 (15.76) | 13 (0–41.5) | 3 (0–24) | |
| Comorbidities | |||||
| 0 | 661 (23.66) | 2787 (27.65) | <0.001 | 9 (0–37) | 1 (0–21) |
| 1 | 853 (30.53) | 2993 (29.70) | 13 (1–43) | 3 (0–25) | |
| 2 | 678 (24.27) | 2289 (22.71) | 13 (1–39) | 3 (0–23) | |
| 3+ | 602 (21.55) | 2010 (19.94) | 13 (1–39) | 4 (0–28) | |
| Diagnostic route | |||||
| Emergency presentation | 949 (33.97) | 1623 (16.10) | <0.001 | 5 (0–27) | 5 (0–26) |
| GP referral | 681 (24.37) | 2509 (24.89) | 14 (1–44) | 7 (0–31) | |
| Two Week Wait | 802 (28.70) | 4782 (47.45) | 14 (3–42) | 1 (0–17) | |
| Inpatient elective | 60 (2.15) | 171 (1.70) | 9.5 (0–45) | 5 (0–48) | |
| Outpatient | 235 (8.41) | 724 (7.18) | 12 (0–45) | 5 (0–29) | |
| Unknown | 67 (2.40) | 270 (2.68) | 10.5 (0–27) | 8 (0–45) | |
| Stage | |||||
| 1 | 290 (10.38) | 2573 (25.53) | <0.001 | 13 (0–42) | 0 (0–15) |
| 2 | 357 (12.78) | 1828 (18.14) | 10 (0–39) | 0 (0–14) | |
| 3 | 444 (15.89) | 1516 (15.04) | 12 (1–38) | 5 (0–28) | |
| 4 | 897 (32.10) | 2094 (20.78) | 14 (1–42) | 8 (0–35) | |
| Unknown/other | 806 (28.85) | 2068 (20.52) | 10 (0.5–37) | 5 (0–28) | |
*Significance test of proportions in NSCS/non-NSCS by characteristic.
GP, general practitioner.