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Table 2 Sociodemographic and service-related characteristics of respondents and non-respondents

From: A patient survey of out-of-hours care provided by Emergency Care Practitioners

Characteristic

 

Respondents

Non respondents

All

  

n

%

n

%

n

%

  

81

73.0

30

27.0

111

100

Age

Median

82 years

78 years

80 years

 

Aged less than 60

31

39.2

17

60.7

48

44.9

 

Aged 60 and over

48

60.8

11

39.3

59

55.1

 

Not known

2

-

2

-

4

-

Gender

Female

55

67.9

23

76.7

78

70.3

 

Male

26

32.1

7

23.3

33

29.7

Presenting complaint

Respiratory infection

22

27.2

4

13.3

26

23.4

 

Urological

14

17.3

6

20.0

20

18.0

 

Medical condition1

10

12.3

10

33.3

20

18.0

 

Back pain

10

12.3

1

3.3

11

9.9

 

Gastrointestinal

6

7.4

2

6.7

8

7.2

 

Pain (other than chest or back)

5

6.2

2

6.7

7

6.3

 

Minor injuries

4

5.0

0

0

4

3.6

 

Fainted/dizziness

2

2.5

0

0

2

1.8

 

Neurological/stroke

2

2.5

0

0

2

1.8

 

Other

6

7.4

5

16.7

11

9.9

Disposal

Treated at home2

42

51.9

12

40.0

54

48.6

 

Treated at home and referred

26

32.1

5

16.7

31

27.9

 

Conveyed to the out-of-hours primary care centre

3

3.7

2

6.7

5

4.5

 

Conveyed to the hospital emergency department

10

12.3

11

36.7

21

18.9

Time spent with the patient (minutes)

Median (where known, n = 81)

50 (11–148)

47 (15 – 94)

50 (11–148)

  1. 1Medical conditions included arthritis, hypertension, influenza, and heart failure.
  2. 2Respondents were significantly more likely to have been treated at home (χ 2 = 9.09, d.f. = 1, p < 0.01).