Table 2 Associations between contact characteristics and medical inappropriateness (N = 4903^a)

  Male

1

1

  Female

1.07 (0.94–1.21)

0.313

1.09 (0.94–1.26)

0.275

  18–30

1

1

  31–40

0.85 (0.70–1.02)

0.076

0.81 (0.65–0.99)

0.046

  41–60

0.88 (0.74–1.04)

0.137

0.86 (0.70–1.04)

0.116

  61–75

0.70 (0.57–0.86)

0.001

0.65 (0.51–0.82)

< 0.001

   > 75

0.39 (0.31–0.50)

< 0.001

0.38 (0.29–0.50)

< 0.001

   < 5 h

1

1

  5–12 h

1.21 (0.97–1.50)

0.089

1.32 (1.05–1.64)

0.015

  12–24 h

1.93 (1.55–2.41)

< 0.001

2.42 (1.92–3.05)

< 0.001

   > 24 h

5.04 (4.20–6.04)

< 0.001

6.10 (5.02–7.40)

< 0.001

 New episode (including symptoms of long duration)

1

1

  Exacerbation of chronic disease

1.50 (1.27–1.77)

< 0.001

1.29 (1.06–1.56)

0.010

  Other

3.28 (2.62–4.10)

< 0.001

2.26 (1.60–3.21)

< 0.001

  Weekday

1

1

  Weekend/public holiday

0.51 (0.48–0.58)

< 0.001

0.36 (0.31–0.42)

< 0.001

   < 3 h after office hours

2.33 (1.98–2.77)

< 0.001

1.63 (1.31–2.02)

< 0.001

   ≥ 3 h after/before office hours

1

1

   < 3 h before office hours

2.07 (1.67–2.56)

< 0.001

1.87 (1.44–2.42)

< 0.001