Table 5

Associations between hospital episodes and primary care factors: population-attributable fractions

Unadjusted PAF (95% CI)*p ValueAdjusted PAF (95% CI)†p Value
Patient population factors
 IMD0.089 (0.073 to 0.106)4.9×10−240.084 (0.067 to 0.100)7.3×10−22
 Patient ethnicity (% white)0.009 (−0.009 to 0.027)0.32−0.004 (−0.032 to 0.023)0.78
 Practice morbidity index (registrations/1000 patients)0.041 (0.024 to 0.059)5.8×10−60.175 (−0.053 to 0.354)0.12
Practice factors
 GP supply (FTE/1000 patients)−0.014 (−0.033 to 0.004)0.130.016 (−0.026 to0.005)0.0046
 Handedness of practice0.001 (−0.002 to 0.003)0.640.001 (−0.002 to 0.005)0.44
 GPs >50 years (%)−0.041 (−0.089 to 0.005)0.082−0.023 (−0.072 to 0.024)0.35
 GPs with non-UK qualifications (%)−0.007 (−0.029 to 0.014)0.510.035 (−0.058 to0.012)0.0025
 Female GPs (%)0.022 (−0.032 to 0.073)0.420.049 (−0.024 to 0.117)0.19
QOF indicator achievement (%)
 Total QOF points−0.002 (−0.018 to 0.013)0.780.021 (−0.042 to 0.000)0.045
 PE070.041 (−0.012 to 0.092)0.120.008 (−0.055 to 0.067)0.80
 PE080.062 (0.003 to 0.118)0.040.031 (−0.039 to 0.096)0.37
 CHD06−0.006 (−0.094 to 0.074)0.88−0.072 (−0.208 to 0.049)0.26
 CHD08−0.033 (−0.171 to 0.088)0.61−0.135 (−0.317 to 0.021)0.094
 STROKE060.058 (−0.008 to 0.120)0.0860.076 (−0.008 to 0.153)0.075
 STROKE080.039 (−0.064 to 0.132)0.440.031 (−0.088 to 0.137)0.59
 DM170.125 (−0.007 to 0.240)0.0630.128 (−0.023 to 0.257)0.092
 DM260.370 (0.222 to 0.490)1.8×10−50.372 (0.218 to 0.496)3.1×10−5
 DM30−0.031 (−0.120 to 0.050)0.460.144 (−0.280 to0.022)0.02
 BP050.073 (−0.086 to 0.208)0.350.138 (−0.069 to 0.304)0.18
 MED120.001 (−0.002 to 0.004)0.550.000 (−0.003 to 0.003)0.98
 RECORD090.005 (0.000 to 0.009)0.0480.005 (−0.000 to 0.009)0.053
  • Bold typeface denotes p<0.05. Unadjusted and adjusted PAFs associated with each primary care factor are displayed. Each fraction refers to the difference between the baseline scenario in table 1, and the sample scenario.

  • *Adjusted for practice, patient population age and sex.

  • †Adjusted for patient population age, sex, ethnicity, morbidity score and IMD, GP age, sex and country of qualification, and practice list size, handedness and QOF achievement on the indicators listed.

  • FTE, full-time equivalent; GP, general practitioner; IMD, Index of Multiple Deprivation; PAF, population attributable fraction; QOF, Quality and Outcomes Framework.