Referral patterns and proximity to palliative care inpatient services by level of socio-economic disadvantage. A national study using spatial analysis

Table 5 Episode of care level data in the Australian Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration database July 1 – December 31, 2009, by Socio-Economic Index for Areas of Disadvantage (2006 Census data; SEIFA)

			SEIFA group
Episode-level data			Low³	Medium	High³
Episode length (elapsed days)	Inpatient care¹ (excluding day only admissions)	Mean	11.5	11.6	13.9
		Median	7	7	8
		IQR	12	12	14
		n	2,802	2,768	2,257
	Community care² (including day only admissions)	Mean	46.9	42.9	41.8
		Median	2	19	21
		IQR	57	49	44
		n	1,233	1,355	792

(Episode changes every time physical place of care changes).
¹High SEIFA group significantly different from both other groups (multiple t-test: largest p < 0.001).
² High SEIFA group significantly different from both other groups (multiple t-test:
³ SEIFA low – most disadvantaged; SEIFA high – most advantaged.

ISSN: 1472-6963