Table 3.
Distribution of the presenting symptom and number of consultations by referral.
| Presenting Symptom | Dental Referral (GDP n = 35) |
Medical Referral (GP n = 66) |
Odds Ratio (95% CI) |
p Ratio |
p Overall |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pain | No | 21 (35.0%) | 39 (65.0%) | Ref. | ||
| Yes | 14 (34.1%) | 27 (65.9%) | 1.04.0.45;2.44] | 0.934 | 1 | |
| Oral lump | No | 27 (37.0%) | 46 (63.0%) | Ref. | ||
| Yes | 8 (28.6%) | 20 (71.4%) | 1.45.0.57;3.96] | 0.442 | 0.574 | |
| Oral ulceration | No | 27 (40.3%) | 40 (59.7%) | Ref. | ||
| Yes | 8 (23.5%) | 26 (76.5%) | 2.16.0.87;5.81] | 0.099 | 0.146 | |
| Other symptoms: | No | 26 (35.1%) | 48 (64.9%) | Ref. | ||
| Yes | 9 (33.3%) | 18 (66.7%) | 0.96.0.43;2.66] | 0.878 | 1 | |
| Number of consultations | Median (95% CI) | Median (95% CI) | RR (LCL-UCL) | p-value | ||
| 3.57 (2.93–4.21) | 2.71 (2.39–3.04) | 0.76 (0.61–0.93) | 0.008 * | |||
Percentages are estimated by row. GDP: General Dental Practitioner; GP: General Medical Practitioner; RR: Relative Risk; CI, Confidence interval; (*): p < 0.05).