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. 2022 Sep 2;22:1113. doi: 10.1186/s12913-022-08475-4

Table 5.

Demographic characteristics of patients completing (N = 3315)

Variable n (%) of EQUIP ED Sample n (%) of BC EDPEC Sample n (%) of BC Census Sample
Canadian Triage & Acuity Scale (CTAS) NA
 1 - Resuscitation 11 (0.5) 39 (0.3)
 2 - Emergent 434 (20.4) 2018 (16)
 3 - Urgent 1022 (48.0) 5789 (45.9)
 4 – Less urgent 601 (28.2) 4023 (31.9)
 5 – Non-urgent 61 (2.9) 580 (4.6)
Age Range: 18–99, Mean: 50.8, SD: 18.610 NA Range: 0–100+, Mean: 42.3, Median: 43.0 [64]
Age 65 and over
 Under 65 2436 (74.7) 9530 (67.6) 3,799,070 (81.7)
 Over 65 826 (25.3) 4546 (32.4) 848,985 (18.3)
Gender
 Woman 1629 (49.4) 7568 (53.9) 2,369,815 (51.0)
 Man 1635 (49.6) 6506 (46.1) 2,278,245 (49.0)
 Non-binary 34 (0.9) 1 (0) NA
Education
 Didn’t complete secondary school / high school 650 (19.8) 4341 (29.8) 601,640 (15.5)
 Completed secondary school / high school 704 (21.5) 2835 (19.8) 1,138,565 (29.4)
 Some or completed post-secondary 1922 (58.7) 5972 (46.2) 2,130,175 (55.0)
Born in Canada NA
 No 907 (27.4) 1,292,675 (30.5)
 Yes 2379 (72.4) 3,167,155 (69.5)
First language English NA
 No 789 (28.7) 1,428,305 (31.1)
 Yes 1656 (71.3) 3,170,110 (68.9)
Speaks English NA
 Does not currently speak English 87 (2.6) 151,760 (3.4)
 Currently speaks English 3210 (97.4) 4,442,695 (96.6)
Indigenous
 Non-Indigenous 2720 (82.9) 12,116 (94.1) 4,289,655 (94.1)
 Indigenous 560 (17.1) 1246 (5.9) 270,585 (5.9)
Living situation – dichotomized NA
 Precarious housinga 383 (11.6)
 Stable housing 2909 (88.4)
Accessed a shelter in the past year NA NA
 No 3036 (92.4)
 Yes 250 (7.6)
Primary work status NA
 Employed FT or PT 1464 (44.7) 2,305,690 (59.6)
 Unemployed 760 (23.2) 165,975 (4.3)
 Retired 838 (25.6) 1,398,710 (36.1)
 Other (includes seasonal, exchange services or student) 213 (6.5)
Receiving social assistanceb NA
 Not receiving 2415 (88.6) 4,073,315 (98.4) [65]
 Receiving 312 (11.4) 67,821 (1.6)
Receiving disability benefits NA NA
 Not receiving 2122 (76.0)
 Receiving 669 (24.0)

aThe response options included in “precarious housing” are: couch-surfing, shelter, on the street, in vehicle (car or van), SRO, rooming house, RV or trailer, Tent, and other

bIn BC, a single person on income assistance receives $935 each month, while a single person on disability assistance receives $1358.42