Comparison and outcomes of emergency department presentations with respiratory disorders among Australian indigenous and non-indigenous patients

Table 2 Emergency department presentation outcome by Indigenous status

	Non-Indigenous (n = 296)	Indigenous (n = 232^a)	p-value
Self-initiated presentation	260 (88%)	185 (80%)	0.011
GP/Nursing home initiated	33 (11%)	20 (9%)	0.337
Transfer from another health center	3 (1%)	25 (11%)	< 0.001
Triage
ATS category 1–2	214 (72%)	153 (66%)	0.116
ATS category 3–4	68 (23%)	66 (28%)	0.151
ATS category 5	14 (5%)	13 (6%)	0.651
Primary diagnosis
LRTI	116 (39%)	102 (44%)	0.269
Airway exacerbation^	83 (28%)	79 (34%)	0.137
URTI	70 (24%)	36 (16%)	0.021
Other	27 (9%)	15 (6%)	0.263
ED Movement outcome ^b
Discharged home	173 (58%)	128 (56%)	0.521
Admitted to ward	121 (41%)	102 (44%)	0.425
Died in ED	1 (0%)	0 (0%)	0.378

Data reported per presentation
*Patients for whom smoking data was not reported.
^ Airway disease includes Asthma, Bronchiectasis and COPD
^aData on presentation source and ED Movement outcome missing for two patients
^bData on ED Movement outcome missing for one patient
Abbreviations: ATS Australasian triage scale, ED emergency department, LRTI Lower tract respiratory infection, URTI upper tract respiratory infection, GP general practitioner

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