Table 3 Risk factors associated with frequent ED use, N = 364

Demographic

Age (by 10 years over 18 years)

0.9 (0.8-1.0)

0.8 (0.6-1.0)

<0.05

Gender (female)

0.7 (0.5-1.0)

0.4 (0.2-0.9)

<0.05

Social

Household income < CHF 3′000

2.7 (1.7-4.3)

4.3 (2.0-9.2)

<0.001

Distance from home to ED <5 km

2.2 (1.4-3.4)

4.4 (2.1-9.0)

<0.001

Somatic

ED primary diagnosis (ref. = circulatory system)

1.0

1.0

 Injuries

0.4 (0.2-0.9)

0.3 (0.1-0.9)

<0.05

 Other

1.4 (0.7-2.4)

0.9 (0.3-2.6)

ns

Comorbidity index

1.1 (1.0-1.2)

1.2 (1.1-1.4)

<0.01

Chronic disease (yes)

0.7 (0.5-1.1)

0.3 (0.1-0.7)

<0.01

Mental

Comorbidities (yes)

3.2 (2.1-4.9)

2.3 (1.2-4.7)

<0.05

Risk behavior

Tobacco consumption (≠ no use)

2.6 (1.6-4.4)

2.6 (1.1-5.9)

<0.05

Health care use

PCP and number of visits (ref. = PCP, no visits)

1.0

1.0

 No PCP

3.3 (1.4-8.0)

8.4 (2.1-32.7)

<0.01

 PCP, 1 or more visits

1.4 (0.7-2.9)

1.0 (0.3-3.0)

ns

Hospital admissions (ref = 1 or 2)

1.0

1.0

 0 admissions

0.6 (0.4-1.0)

0.3 (0.1-0.5)

<0.001

 3 or more admissions

15.3 (7.2-32.1)

23.2 (9.1-59.2)

<0.001

Use of other EDs (yes)

1.6 (1.0-2.6)

2.7 (1.2-6.1)

<0.05