Table 2 Characteristics of frequent users of the ED compared to non-frequent users (control group), N = 399

Demographic

Age (years)

51.5 (21.5)

56.2 (22.6)

<0.05

Gender (female)

102 (45.1)

95 (54.9)

ns

Country of birth (low/middle-income countries)

58 (25.7)

17 (9.8)

<0.001

Education

ns

 None, incomplete, primary

68 (30.2)

52 (30.1)

 Secondary

115 (51.1)

82 (47.4)

 Tertiary

42 (18.7)

39 (22.5)

Marital status

<0.05

 Single

76 (33.6)

48 (27.8)

ns

 Married/civil partnership

67 (29.7)

60 (34.7)

ns

 Separated/divorced

59 (26.1)

32 (18.5)

ns

 Widowed

24 (10.6)

33 (19.1)

<0.1^**

Social

Household income < CHF 3,000

90 (39.8)

34 (19.7)

<0.001

Income source (Unemployed or dependent on welfare or social welfare)

105 (46.5)

26 (15.0)

<0.001

Violence (yes)

57 (25.5)

19 (11.0)

<0.001

Social support [n = 393]

75 [40;100]

80 [58;100]

<0.05

Social position [n = 385]

5 [3–6]

5 [5–7]

<0.001

French proficiency (less than very good)

79 (35.1)

28 (16.2)

<0.001

Distance from home to ED <5 km

162 (73.3)

96 (55.5)

<0.001

Somatic

ED primary diagnosis

<0.001

 Circulatory

29 (12.8)

24 (13.9)

ns

 Digestive

24 (10.6)

13 (7.5)

ns

 Infectious diseases

47 (20.8)

28 (16.2)

ns

 Injury

22 (9.7)

42 (24.3)

<0.001^**

 Substance use & mental disorder

31 (13.7)

7 (4.1)

<0.01^**

 Other

73 (32.3)

59 (34.1)

ns

Severity (triaged as urgent)

84 (37.2)

56 (32.4)

ns

Comorbidity index [n = 390]

3 [1;6]

2 [0;5]

<0.01

Chronic disease (yes)

116 (51.8)

102 (60.0)

ns

Subjective well-being^a [n = 383]

38.6 (13.3)

41.9 (13.4)

<0.05

Mental

Comorbidity (yes)

119 (53.9)

45 (26.6)

<0.001

Chronic disease (yes)

68 (30.4)

21 (12.4)

<0.001

Subjective well-being^b [n = 383]

40.9 (14.2)

45.3 (14.1)

<0.01

Risk behavior

Alcohol use (moderate to severe)

54 (24.3)

12 (6.9)

<0.001

Illegal drug use (yes)

38 (17.0)

13 (7.5)

<0.01

Tobacco consumption (≠ no use)

67 (29.7)

24 (13.9)

<0.001

Sexual behaviors (yes)

32 (19.8)

14 (10.5)

<.05

Health care use

PCP, number of visits

<0.001

 No PCP

50 (22.4)

18 (10.5)

<0.01^**

 PCP, no visit

15 (6.7)

18 (10.5)

ns

 PCP, 1 or 2 visits

26 (11.7)

51 (29.7)

<0.001^**

 PCP, 3 to 6 visits

54 (24.2)

50 (29.1)

ns

 PCP, 7 or more visits

78 (35.0)

35 (20.4)

<0.01^**

Medical specialist visits

<0.001

 No visit

73 (32.3)

81 (47.4)

<0.01^**

 1 or 2 visits

35 (15.5)

48 (28.1)

<0.01^**

 3 or more visits

118 (52.2)

42 (24.6)

<0.001^**

Hospital admissions

<0.001

 No admissions

50 (22.4)

99 (57.9)

<0.001^**

 1 or 2

50 (22.4)

62 (36.3)

<0.01^**

 3 or more

123 (55.2)

10 (5.9)

<0.001^**

Use of other EDs (yes)

60 (26.6)

32 (18.5)

<0.001^**