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Table 2 Description and statistical comparison of patient characteristics in primary and secondary data samples (EMACROSS)

From: Primary and secondary data in emergency medicine health services research – a comparative analysis in a regional research network on multimorbid patients

Variable

Primary data sample

(n=472)

n (%, [95% CI])

Secondary data sample (presentation between 8am and 5pm)

(n=1563)

n (%)

p value

Secondary data sample (presentation throughout the day)

(n=3410)

n (%)

p value

Gender

  

.453

 

.298

 Male

251 (53.2, [48.7; 57.7])

826 (52.8)

 

1860 (54.5)

 

 Female

221 (46.8, [42.3; 51.3])

737 (47.2)

 

1550 (45.5)

Age in years (mean (SD))

53.6 (19.1, [51.9; 55.3])

59.9 (19.3)

<.001

59.1 (19.7)

<.001

Multi-morbidity: Yes

186 (39.4, [35.0; 43.8])

626 (40.1)

.398

1375 (40.3)

.365

MTS category

  

<.001

 

<.001

 1 (immediate treatment)

4 (0.9)

36 (4.6)

 

90 (4.9)

 

 2 (very urgent treatment)

106 (23.2, [19.3; 27.1])

219 (28.2)

 

502 (27.3)

 3 (urgent treatment)

155 (34.0, [29.7; 38.3])

303 (39.0)

 

717 (39.0)

 4 (normal)

173 (37.9, [33.4; 42.4])

207 (26.7)

 

500 (27.2)

 5 (not urgent)

18 (3.9, [2.1; 5.7])

11 (1.4)

 

29 (1.6)

Transportation to ED

  

<.001

 

<.001

 Walk-in

291 (63.0, [57.6; 66.4])

445 (42.0)

 

1043 (42.9)

 

 Non-urgent medically accompanied transport

29 (6.4, [4.2; 8.6])

219 (20.7)

 

422 (17.3)

 Emergency medical services

111 (24.7, [20.8; 28.6])

355 (33.5)

 

834 (34.3)

 EMS with emergency physician

31 (6.9, [4.6; 9.2])

41 (3.9)

 

134 (5.5)

Case type

  

<.001

 

<.001

 Outpatient

289 (61.2, [56.8; 65.6])

613 (41.7)

 

1315 (40.7)

 

 Inpatient

183 (38.8, [34.4; 43.2])

857 (58.3)

 

1917 (59.3)

Discharge type

  

<.001

 

<.001

 Home or existing care arrangement

387 (87.0, [83.9; 90.1])

756 (80.3)

 

1714 (79.7)

 

 Transfer (to another hospital or health care facility)

41 (9.2, [6.5; 11.9])

103 (10.9)

 

258 (12.0)

 Deceased

1 (0.2)

78 (8.3)

 

165 (7.7)

 Other

16 (3.6, [1.9; 5.3])

4 (0.4)

 

13 (0.6)

  1. Note: 95% Wald confidence intervals were computed for population proportions of n≥5. CI Confidence interval, ED Emergency department, EMS Emergency medical services, MTS Manchester Triage System, SD Standard deviation