Determinants of hospital resource use intensity
| Variable | n (%) | Geometric mean ratio of costs (95% CI) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 5267 (100) | ||
| Age, yr | |||
| 16–54 | 1519 (28.8) | Ref. | 0.04 |
| 55–64 | 768 (14.8) | 1.02 (0.95 to 1.10) | 0.04 |
| 65–74 | 949 (18.0) | 1.09 (1.02 to 1.17) | 0.04 |
| 75–84 | 1157 (22.0) | 1.09 (1.01 to 1.18) | 0.04 |
| ≥ 85 | 874 (16.6) | 1.10 (1.01 to 1.19) | 0.04 |
| Sex | |||
| Female | 1851 (35.1) | Ref. | 0.07 |
| Male | 3456 (64.9) | 1.05 (1.00 to 1.10) | 0.07 |
| Number of comorbidities | |||
| 0 | 2893 (54.9) | Ref. | < 0.001 |
| 1 | 1278 (24.3) | 1.09 (1.04 to 1.15) | < 0.001 |
| 2 | 647 (12.3) | 1.25 (1.16 to 1.34) | < 0.001 |
| 3 | 277 (5.3) | 1.23 (1.11 to 1.36) | < 0.001 |
| ≥ 4 | 172 (3.3) | 1.35 (1.19 to 1.54) | < 0.001 |
| MAIS of traumatic brain injury | |||
| 2 | 736 (14.0) | Ref. | < 0.001 |
| 3 | 2053 (39.0) | 1.02 (0.96 to 1.09) | < 0.001 |
| 4 | 943 (17.9) | 1.15 (1.07 to 1.24) | < 0.001 |
| 5 and 6 | 1535 (29.1) | 1.38 (1.28 to 1.48) | < 0.001 |
| MAIS of concomitant injuries | |||
| None | 1487 (28.2) | Ref. | < 0.001 |
| 1 | 1284 (24.4) | 0.98 (0.92 to 1.04) | < 0.001 |
| 2 | 1279 (24.3) | 1.15 (1.08 to 1.22) | < 0.001 |
| 3 | 914 (17.4) | 1.68 (1.56 to 1.80) | < 0.001 |
| 4 | 195 (3.7) | 2.19 (1.93 to 2.48) | < 0.001 |
| 5 and 6 | 108 (2.1) | 2.62 (2.23 to 3.09) | < 0.001 |
| Systolic blood pressure (mm Hg)* | |||
| ≥ 90 | 5183 (98.4) | Ref. | < 0.0001 |
| < 90 | 84 (1.6) | 1.41 (1.19 to 1.68) | < 0.0001 |
| Respiratory rate (breaths/min)* | |||
| 10–29 | 5145 (97.7) | Ref. | 0.003 |
| < 10 and ≥ 30 | 122 (2.3) | 1.30 (1.13 to 1.50) | 0.003 |
| Glasgow Coma Scale score* | |||
| 13–15 | 4182 (79.4) | Ref. | < 0.001 |
| 9–12 | 401 (7.6) | 1.49 (1.36 to 1.62) | < 0.001 |
| 3–8 | 684 (13.0) | 2.01 (1.85 to 2.18) | < 0.001 |
| Transferred in from another centre | |||
| No | 2750 (52.2) | Ref | < 0.001 |
| Yes | 2517 (47.8) | 0.82 (0.78 to 0.86) | < 0.001 |
| Mechanism of injury | |||
| Motor vehicle collision | 1121 (22.0) | Ref. | < 0.001 |
| Fall from standing height | 1683 (32.0) | 0.89 (0.80 to 1.00) | < 0.001 |
| Fall from more than standing height | 1674 (31.8) | 0.94 (0.85 to 1.05) | < 0.001 |
| Penetrating injury | 56 (1.1) | 1.55 (1.24 to 1.94) | < 0.001 |
| Blunt object | 369 (7.0) | 0.99 (0.88 to 1.13) | < 0.001 |
| Other | 364 (6.9) | 0.94 (0.83 to 1.06) | < 0.001 |
| Discharge destination | |||
| Home | 2392 (45.4) | Ref. | < 0.001 |
| Transfer to acute care | 815 (15.5) | 1.35 (1.26 to 1.44) | < 0.001 |
| Transfer to long-term care | 321 (6.1) | 2.20 (2.00 to 2.42) | < 0.001 |
| Rehabilitation | 1361 (25.8) | 1.88 (1.78 to 2.00) | < 0.001 |
| Other | 378 (7.2) | 1.42 (1.30 to 1.56) | < 0.001 |
| Payer agency | |||
| Provincial plan | 3851 (73.1) | Ref. | 0.5 |
| Automobile plan | 916 (17.4) | 1.04 (0.94 to 1.16) | 0.5 |
| Workers’ safety plan | 158 (3.0) | 0.98 (0.87 to 1.11) | 0.5 |
| Other | 210 (4.0) | 1.06 (0.95 to 1.19) | 0.5 |
| None or missing | 132 (2.5) | 0.92 (0.79 to 1.07) | 0.5 |
CI = confidence interval; MAIS = Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale; Ref. = reference category.
↵* Measured on arrival at the emergency department.