Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of patients presenting to the ED, stratified by race/ethnicity, NHAMCS 2005–2016 (weighted sample).
| All | White patients | Black patients | Hispanic patients | Asian patients | Other | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,065,936,835 | 684,948,994 (64.3) | 235,356,879 (22.1) | 116,893,764 (11.0) | 18,123,016 (1.7) | 10,614,182 (1.0) | |
| Male | 458,688,091 (43.0) | 300,429,341 (43.9) | 95,120,971 (40.4) | 50,676,958 (43.4) | 7,945,064 (43.8) | 4,515,757 (42.5) |
| Age | ||||||
| 18–39 | 454,826,892 (42.7) | 267,506,162 (39.1) | 114,288,373 (48.6) | 60,799,082 (52.0) | 7,398,866 (40.8) | 4,834,409 (45.5) |
| 40–49 | 180,241,636 (16.9) | 111,092,537 (16.2) | 44,013,302 (18.7) | 20,476,127 (17.5) | 2,513,301 (13.9) | 2,146,369 (20.2) |
| 50–59 | 157,552,708 (14.8) | 100,746,731 (14.7) | 37,331,253 (15.9) | 15,295,944 (13.1) | 2,594,595 (14.3) | 1,584,185 (14.9) |
| 60–74 | 149,354,632 (14.0) | 105,915,810 (15.5) | 26,418,286 (11.2) | 12,708,516 (10.9) | 2,933,089 (16.2) | 1,378,930 (13.0) |
| ≥ 75 | 123,960,967 (11.6) | 99,687,753 (14.6) | 13,305,663 (5.7) | 7,614,095 (6.5) | 2,683,166 (14.8) | 670,289 (6.3) |
| Residence type | ||||||
| Private residence | 975,224,202 (95.1) | 622,404,310 (94.6) | 218,576,189 (95.9) | 107,770,949 (96.2) | 16,659,256 (96.3) | 9,813,496 (94.8) |
| Nursing home | 25,715,854 (2.5) | 20,136,772 (3.1) | 3,770,466 (1.7) | 1,342,768 (1.2) | 368,971 (2.1) | 96,877 (0.9) |
| Homeless | 7,801,609 (0.8) | 4,396,947 (0.7) | 1,940,447 (0.9) | 1,147,133 (1.0) | 84,241 (0.5) | 232,841 (2.2) |
| Other | 16,683,842 (1.6) | 10,798,624 (1.6) | 3,717,765 (1.6) | 1,771,526 (1.6) | 186,037 (1.1) | 209,890 (2.0) |
| Insurance type | ||||||
| Private insurance | 321,335,956 (32.0) | 226,685,656 (34.8) | 57,394,147 (26.2) | 27,602,519 (25.7) | 6,798,262 (40.0) | 2,855,372 (28.0) |
| Medicare | 243,754,059 (24.3) | 184,553,685 (28.4) | 39,850,264 (18.2) | 14,215,845 (13.2) | 3,418,729 (20.1) | 1,715,536 (16.8) |
| Medicaid or CHIP | 218,162,456 (21.7) | 113,269,715 (17.4) | 64,314,663 (29.4) | 33,678,741 (31.3) | 3,714,171 (21.8) | 3,185,167 (31.3) |
| Uninsured | 178,164,973 (17.7) | 98,987,765 (15.2) | 49,073,069 (22.4) | 26,032,882 (24.2) | 2,337,085 (13.7) | 1,734,173 (17.0) |
| Other | 43,012,416 (4.3) | 27,293,947 (4.2) | 8,288,832 (3.8) | 5,997,610 (5.6) | 734,364 (4.3) | 697,663 (6.8) |
| Year | ||||||
| 2005 | 82,947,472 (7.8) | 54,395,817 (7.9) | 16,112,439 (6.8) | 10,066,446 (8.6) | 1,606,437 (8.9) | 766,333 (7.2) |
| 2006 | 90,593,915 (8.5) | 56,734,743 (8.3) | 21,008,698 (8.9) | 10,121,898 (8.7) | 1,748,174 (9.6) | 980,402 (9.2) |
| 2007 | 78,675,398 (7.4) | 51,657,544 (7.5) | 17,658,282 (7.5) | 7,564,031 (6.5) | 1,156,816 (6.4) | 638,725 (6.0) |
| 2008 | 81,178,690 (7.6) | 53,715,245 (7.8) | 18,223,694 (7.7) | 7,254,941 (6.2) | 1,225,025 (6.8) | 759,785 (7.2) |
| 2009 | 93,571,540 (8.8) | 60,455,172 (8.8) | 21,576,760 (9.2) | 8,547,722 (7.3) | 1,929,975 (10.6) | 1,061,911 (10.0) |
| 2010 | 92,276,613 (8.7) | 60,909,002 (8.9) | 19,058,853 (8.1) | 9,953,062 (8.5) | 1,512,008 (8.3) | 843,688 (7.9) |
| 2011 | 93,739,810 (8.8) | 59,512,636 (8.7) | 21,647,273 (9.2) | 9,922,551 (8.5) | 1,640,597 (9.1) | 1,016,753 (9.6) |
| 2012 | 87,134,529 (8.2) | 54,874,117 (8.0) | 18,995,723 (8.1) | 10,664,317 (9.1) | 1,605,220 (8.9) | 995,152 (9.4) |
| 2013 | 87,119,811 (8.2) | 56,919,172 (8.3) | 18,411,529 (7.8) | 9,407,125 (8.0) | 1,306,551 (7.2) | 1,075,434 (10.1) |
| 2014 | 90,554,699 (8.5) | 54,674,408 (8.0) | 22,597,298 (9.6) | 10,798,049 (9.2) | 1,620,620 (8.9) | 864,324 (8.1) |
| 2015 | 89,005,064 (8.3) | 56,828,676 (8.3) | 19,634,219 (8.3) | 10,709,406 (9.2) | 1,243,528 (6.9) | 589,235 (5.6) |
| 2016 | 99,139,294 (9.3) | 64,272,462 (9.4) | 20,432,111 (8.7) | 11,884,216 (10.2) | 1,528,065 (8.4) | 1,022,440 (9.6) |
| Day of Week | ||||||
| Sunday | 146,504,562 (13.7) | 96,204,439 (14.0) | 30,683,285 (13.0) | 15,512,945 (13.3) | 2,536,509 (14.0) | 1,567,383 (14.8) |
| Monday | 168,098,140 (15.8) | 106,063,337 (15.5) | 38,260,640 (16.3) | 19,080,935 (16.3) | 2,805,636 (15.5) | 1,887,592 (17.8) |
| Tuesday | 155,565,333 (14.6) | 98,022,792 (14.3) | 36,189,001 (15.4) | 17,381,428 (14.9) | 2,593,571 (14.3) | 1,378,541 (13.0) |
| Wednesday | 152,566,716 (14.3) | 98,207,296 (14.3) | 33,715,222 (14.3) | 16,745,407 (14.3) | 2,444,785 (13.5) | 1,454,007 (13.7) |
| Thursday | 146,894,239 (13.8) | 94,402,962 (13.8) | 32,608,278 (13.9) | 15,824,170 (13.5) | 2,595,204 (14.3) | 1,463,625 (13.8) |
| Friday | 148,615,588 (13.9) | 95,474,110 (13.9) | 32,379,118 (13.8) | 16,819,533 (14.4) | 2,563,946 (14.1) | 1,378,881 (13.0) |
| Saturday | 147,692,258 (13.9) | 96,574,059 (14.1) | 31,521,334 (13.4) | 15,529,347 (13.3) | 2,583,366 (14.3) | 1,484,153 (14.0) |
| Arrive by ambulance | 196,390,765 (18.8) | 131,522,933 (19.6) | 41,232,649 (17.9) | 17,981,146 (15.8) | 3,507,756 (19.8) | 2,146,282 (20.7) |
| Seen within last 72 h | 44,700,888 (4.8) | 29,205,272 (4.8) | 9,031,747 (4.5) | 5,039,648 (4.9) | 914,018 (5.5) | 510,202 (5.2) |
| Pain level | ||||||
| No pain | 191,922,708 (23.1) | 126,398,959 (23.4) | 40,018,910 (22.1) | 19,382,697 (21.7) | 4,284,336 (30.1) | 1,837,805 (21.6) |
| Mild | 90,787,924 (10.9) | 63,142,483 (11.7) | 15,962,562 (8.8) | 9,413,458 (10.6) | 1,737,260 (12.2) | 532,160 (6.3) |
| Moderate | 255,116,768 (30.6) | 165,947,253 (30.8) | 53,107,523 (29.3) | 28,833,991 (32.3) | 4,724,159 (33.2) | 2,503,842 (29.4) |
| Severe | 294,597,482 (35.4) | 183,760,861 (34.1) | 72,162,722 (39.8) | 31,540,073 (35.4) | 3,503,778 (24.6) | 3,630,048 (42.7) |
| Temperature | ||||||
| 36–38°C | 923,981,783 (92.0) | 590,014,678 (91.6) | 207,627,018 (93.4) | 101,661,293 (92.1) | 15,433,830 (90.9) | 9,244,962 (92.3) |
| ≤ 36°C | 58,681,432 (5.8) | 41,248,048 (6.4) | 10,024,208 (4.5) | 5,920,677 (5.4) | 977,390 (5.8) | 511,109 (5.1) |
| ≥ 38°C | 21,147,842 (2.1) | 12,837,322 (2.0) | 4,696,475 (2.1) | 2,778,455 (2.5) | 570,379 (3.4) | 265,210 (2.6) |
| Heart rate | ||||||
| ≤ 90 | 692,407,280 (65.0) | 437,892,700 (63.9) | 155,914,279 (66.2) | 79,870,849 (68.3) | 12,105,387 (66.8) | 6,624,066 (62.4) |
| 90–100 | 177,024,146 (16.6) | 114,148,145 (16.7) | 40,367,221 (17.2) | 17,916,420 (15.3) | 2,787,718 (15.4) | 1,804,643 (17.0) |
| 100–110 | 100,961,893 (9.5) | 68,101,115 (9.9) | 20,940,376 (8.9) | 9,327,277 (8.0) | 1,618,249 (8.9) | 974,876 (9.2) |
| 110–120 | 51,685,009 (4.8) | 35,362,040 (5.2) | 10,098,936 (4.3) | 4,775,100 (4.1) | 753,308 (4.2) | 695,625 (6.6) |
| > 120 | 43,858,506 (4.1) | 29,444,993 (4.3) | 8,036,068 (3.4) | 5,004,119 (4.3) | 858,354 (4.7) | 514,971 (4.9) |
| DBP | ||||||
| <60 | 490,634,962 (46.0) | 315,052,788 (46.0) | 104,018,788 (44.2) | 57,632,101 (49.3) | 9,111,084 (50.3) | 4,820,201 (45.4) |
| 60–80 | 103,631,700 (9.7) | 68,712,622 (10.0) | 20,434,534 (8.7) | 11,619,767 (9.9) | 1,818,276 (10.0) | 1,046,501 (9.9) |
| > 80 | 471,670,172 (44.2) | 301,183,584 (44.0) | 110,903,557 (47.1) | 47,641,896 (40.8) | 7,193,657 (39.7) | 4,747,479 (44.7) |
| Census Region | ||||||
| Northeast | 191,192,054 (17.9) | 129,999,216 (19.0) | 29,802,911 (12.7) | 27,427,725 (23.5) | 3,310,281 (18.3) | 651,921 (6.1) |
| Midwest | 250,844,979 (23.5) | 178,113,941 (26.0) | 58,620,522 (24.9) | 10,411,755 (8.9) | 2,115,228 (11.7) | 1,583,533 (14.9) |
| South | 421,782,783 (39.6) | 251,090,677 (36.7) | 130,502,027 (55.4) | 35,832,957 (30.7) | 2,816,720 (15.5) | 1,540,402 (14.5) |
| West | 202,117,020 (19.0) | 125,745,159 (18.4) | 16,431,418 (7.0) | 43,221,328 (37.0) | 9,880,788 (54.5) | 6,838,327 (64.4) |
| Reason for visit | ||||||
| General symptoms | 203,213,691 (19.1) | 131,873,758 (19.3) | 44,378,354 (18.9) | 21,275,654 (18.3) | 3,922,060 (21.7) | 1,763,865 (16.7) |
| Symptoms referable to psychological and mental disorders | 32,995,307 (3.1) | 22,552,772 (3.3) | 6,386,028 (2.7) | 3,255,770 (2.8) | 504,223 (2.8) | 296,513 (2.8) |
| Symptoms referable to the nervous system | 83,266,087 (7.8) | 53,334,813 (7.8) | 18,462,744 (7.9) | 9,206,729 (7.9) | 1,485,478 (8.2) | 776,323 (7.3) |
| Symptoms referable to the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems | 21,182,499 (2.0) | 13,986,368 (2.0) | 4,764,015 (2.0) | 1,887,719 (1.6) | 435,322 (2.4) | 109,075 (1.0) |
| Symptoms referable to the eyes and ears | 23,544,404 (2.2) | 14,145,130 (2.1) | 5,806,456 (2.5) | 2,924,836 (2.5) | 471,989 (2.6) | 195,993 (1.9) |
| Symptoms referable to the respiratory system | 108,894,097 (10.2) | 68,165,421 (10.0) | 27,305,739 (11.6) | 10,599,465 (9.1) | 1,704,670 (9.4) | 1,118,803 (10.6) |
| Symptoms referable to the digestive system | 166,981,035 (15.7) | 103,946,767 (15.2) | 36,765,578 (15.7) | 21,423,846 (18.4) | 2,833,010 (15.7) | 2,011,834 (19.0) |
| Symptoms referable to the genitourinary system | 54,443,113 (5.1) | 29,878,987 (4.4) | 15,254,564 (6.5) | 7,710,106 (6.6) | 1,140,625 (6.3) | 458,830 (4.3) |
| Symptoms referable to the skin, nails, and hair | 34,639,996 (3.3) | 21,236,239 (3.1) | 8,272,821 (3.5) | 4,098,009 (3.5) | 710,716 (3.9) | 322,212 (3.0) |
| Symptoms referable to the musculoskeletal system | 169,150,947 (15.9) | 109,127,670 (16.0) | 38,665,017 (16.5) | 17,543,747 (15.1) | 2,089,632 (11.6) | 1,724,881 (16.3) |
| Other | 164,108,043 (15.4) | 114,520,152 (16.8) | 28,509,476 (12.2) | 16,496,810 (14.2) | 2,771,491 (15.3) | 1,810,115 (17.1) |
The missing proportion for arrival time, residency type, insurance, and residency type is <5%; the missing proportion for temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure is 5–10%; the missing proportion for triage level is 16%, for Seen within last 72 h is 13%, for pain level is 21%.