Association between patient characteristics and proportion of ED visits and hospitalizations for atopic dermatitis in univariable and multivariable log-binomial regression models
| Variable | Univariable RR (95% CI) | Multivariable* RR (95% CI) |
|---|---|---|
| Dermatologist density (per 1/100 000 increase) | 1.22 (1.07–1.39) | 1.29 (1.05–1.57) |
| Mean annual ED visits and hospitalizations | 1.22 (1.11–1.35) | 1.17 (1.04–1.31) |
| Low continuity of primary care (reference: high continuity) | 1.61 (1.05–2.46) | 1.17 (0.76–1.82) |
| Patient not rostered (reference: high continuity) | 1.19 (0.56–2.51) | 0.85 (0.39–1.84) |
| Age (per 1-year increase) | 0.98 (0.97–0.99) | 0.98 (0.97–0.99) |
| Female sex (reference: male) | 0.62 (0.41–0.93) | 0.72 (0.48–1.10) |
| Ever seen a dermatologist for atopic dermatitis | 7.64 (1.91–30.60) | 8.60 (1.94–38.15) |
| Small town residence (reference: urban residence) | 0.11 (0.03–0.36) | 0.12 (0.03–0.43) |
| Rural residence (reference: urban) | 0.90 (0.58–1.40) | 0.65 (0.24–1.76) |
| Low comorbidity (reference: high comorbidity) | 1.23 (0.69–2.17) | 0.47 (0.20–1.10) |
| Moderate comorbidity (reference: high comorbidity) | 1.28 (0.76–2.16) | 0.53 (0.28–1.02) |
| Nonuser or healthy user (reference: high comorbidity) | 1.35 (0.31–5.95) | 2.53 (0.47–13.58) |
| Low morbidity (reference: high morbidity) | 2.67 (1.35–5.27) | 4.71 (1.75–12.69) |
| Moderate morbidity (reference: high morbidity) | 2.80 (1.56–5.02) | 3.89 (1.87–8.09) |
| Income quintile 2 (reference: 1) | 0.56 (0.31–1.01) | 0.78 (0.38–1.57) |
| Income quintile 3 (reference: 1) | 0.62 (0.36–1.07) | 1.17 (0.51–2.64) |
| Income quintile 4 (reference: 1) | 0.44 (0.23–0.84) | 1.04 (0.39–2.81) |
| Income quintile 5 (reference: 1) | 0.35 (0.17–0.70) | 0.85 (0.26–2.77) |
| Dependency quintile 2 (reference: 1) | 1.54 (0.85–2.76) | 1.66 (0.89–3.07) |
| Dependency quintile 3 (reference: 1) | 0.66 (0.30–1.45) | 0.95 (0.42–2.18) |
| Dependency quintile 4 (reference: 1) | 1.19 (0.60–2.36) | 1.75 (0.81–3.78) |
| Dependency quintile 5 (reference: 1) | 1.66 (0.93–2.98) | 2.30 (1.07–4.93) |
| Deprivation quintile 2 (reference: 1) | 1.23 (0.61–2.49) | 1.04 (0.49–2.21) |
| Deprivation quintile 3 (reference: 1) | 0.92 (0.44–1.92) | 0.72 (0.31–1.68) |
| Deprivation quintile 4 (reference: 1) | 2.44 (1.32–4.51) | 1.45 (0.62–3.38) |
| Deprivation quintile 5 (reference: 1) | 1.66 (0.84–3.29) | 0.83 (0.31–2.20) |
| Ethnic concentration quintile 2 (reference: 1) | 0.50 (0.24–1.04) | 0.80 (0.35–1.83) |
| Ethnic concentration quintile 3 (reference: 1) | 0.45 (0.22–0.94) | 0.71 (0.25–2.00) |
| Ethnic concentration quintile 4 (reference: 1) | 0.70 (0.38–1.31) | 0.79 (0.28–2.28) |
| Ethnic concentration quintile 5 (reference: 1) | 1.96 (1.17–3.29) | 2.13 (0.73–6.23) |
| Instability quintile 2 (reference: 1) | 0.56 (0.21–1.48) | 0.56 (0.21–1.50) |
| Instability quintile 3 (reference: 1) | 1.51 (0.71–3.18) | 0.96 (0.41–2.25) |
| Instability quintile 4 (reference: 1) | 1.41 (0.66–3.02) | 0.83 (0.34–2.03) |
| Instability quintile 5 (reference: 1) | 2.01 (0.99–4.05) | 0.92 (0.35–2.46) |
Note: CI = confidence interval, ED = emergency department, RR = risk ratio.
↵* Each multivariable model included dermatologist density (primary exposure, continuous); age (continuous); sex; continuity of primary care (2014–2015: not rostered, low, high); whether the patient had seen a dermatologist for atopic dermatitis; rurality of residence; Adjusted Clinical Group (ACG) comorbidity score (low [0–4], moderate [5–9],high [≥ 10]); ACG morbidity score (nonuser or healthy user, or low, moderate, high morbidity); and neighbourhood income, dependency, deprivation, ethnic concentration and residency instability quintiles.