Study population: Patients ≥65 year old with an acute medical emergency department (ED) contact and residents in the municipality of Odense | Patients living independent the month before index contact | Patients dependent on home care the month before the index contact | Patients in residential care any time within the month before index contact | Pearson χ2 test | |
Age | 3775 | 1846 | 1316 | 613 | P<0.001 |
In years, median (IQR) | 78 (71–85) | 74 (69–79) | 83 (76–88) | 85 (78–90) | |
Age groups | |||||
65–74 years | 36.5% (n=1378) | 54.4% (n=1004) | 20.3% (n=267) | 17.5% (n=107) | |
75–84 years | 36.2% (n=1368) | 35.2% (n=649) | 39.5% (n=520) | 32.5% (n=199) | |
≥85 years | 27.3% (n=1029) | 10.5% (n=193) | 40.2% (n=529) | 50.1% (n=307) | |
Gender | 3775 | 1846 | 1316 | 613 | P<0.001 |
Female | 55.2% (n=2083) | 47.2% (n=871) | 63.0% (n=829) | 62.5% (n=383) | |
Male | 44.8% (n=1692) | 52.8% (n=975) | 37.0% (n=487) | 37.5% (n=230) | |
Being alone | 3715 | 1832 | 1286 | 597 | P<0.001 |
No | 42.1% (n=1565) | 59.6% (n=1092) | 29.4% (n=378) | 15.9% (n=95) | |
Yes | 57.9% (n=2150) | 40.4% (n=740) | 70.6% (n=908) | 84.1% (n=502) | |
Charlson Comorbidity Index | 3775 | 1846 | 1396 | 613 | P<0.001 |
Median (IQR) | 1 (0–3) | 1 (0–2) | 2 (1–4) | 2 (1–4) | |
0 | 28.6% (n=1081) | 40.1% (n=741) | 19.6% (n=258) | 13.4% (n=82) | |
1–2 | 41.7% (n=1575) | 40.2% (n=742) | 40.5% (n=533) | 48.9% (n=300) | |
≥3 | 29.6% (n=1119) | 19.7% (n=363) | 39.9% (n=525) | 37.7% (n=231) | |
No of medications | 3775 | 1846 | 1316 | 613 | P<0.001 |
Median (IQR) | 5 (3–8) | 4 (2–7) | 6 (4–9) | 6 (4–9) | |
Urgency category | 3678 | 1785 | 1289 | 604 | P=0.564 |
Urgent | 38.8% (n=1428) | 39.6% (n=707) | 37.7% (n=486) | 38.9% (n=235) | |
Less urgent | 61.2% (n=2250) | 60.4% (n=1078) | 62.3% (n=803) | 61.1% (n=369) | |
Index contact | 3775 | 1846 | 1316 | 613 | P<0.001 |
ED visit | 32.4% (n=1224) | 38.2% (n=706) | 25.9% (n=341) | 28.9% (n=177) | |
Hospital admission | 67.6% (n=2551) | 61.8% (n=1140) | 74.1% (n=975) | 71.1% (n=436) | |
Length of admission | 2551 | 1140 | 975 | 436 | P<0.001 |
<48 hours | 20.1% (n=513) | 23.8% (n=271) | 15.7% (n=153) | 20.4% (n=89) | |
≥48 hours | 79.9% (n=2.038) | 76.2% (n=869) | 84.3% (n=822) | 79.6% (n=347) | |
Median days (IQR) | 5 (2–9) | 4 (2–7) | 6 (3–10) | 5 (2–9) | |
In-hospital mortality | 3775 | 1846 | 1316 | 613 | |
Died during hospitalisation | 6.8% (n=256) | 4.0% (n=74) | 9.4% (n=124) | 9.5% (n=58) | P<0.001 |
Data are presented as number of patients (n), proportions (%) and median (IQR).