Selected demographic characteristics of the study population
| COVARIATE | RURAL REFORM (N = 69 143) | RURAL NONREFORM (N = 228 914) | URBAN NONREFORM (N = 197 012) | TOTAL (N = 495 069) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean (SD) age, y | 34.7 (23.7) | 35.4 (23.6) | 32.1 (24.5) | 34.0 (24.0) |
| Female sex, % | 50.7 | 49.3 | 50.4 | 49.9 |
| CCI score (9-y period), % | ||||
| • 0 | 75.5 | 66.3 | 63.3 | 66.4 |
| • 1–2 | 12.9 | 18.1 | 19.8 | 18.0 |
| • 3–4 | 6.6 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.4 |
| • ≥ 5 | 5.0 | 7.1 | 8.2 | 7.2 |
| Income quintile, % | ||||
| • Q1 (lowest) | 23.2 | 21.5 | 24.1 | 22.8 |
| • Q2 | 28.6 | 18.1 | 21.3 | 20.8 |
| • Q3 | 12.2 | 22.1 | 17.6 | 18.9 |
| • Q4 | 20.4 | 19.1 | 17.9 | 18.8 |
| • Q5 (highest) | 15.6 | 19.3 | 19.0 | 18.7 |
| Mean (SD) high school completion, % | 52.9 (10.5) | 59.7 (13.4) | 75.1 (12.3) | 64.9 (15.3) |
| Mean (SD) visible minority, % | 0.5 (1.7) | 0.8 (1.8) | 1.8 (3.3) | 1.2 (2.6) |
| Mean (SD) Aboriginal identity, % | 15.7 (26.8) | 4.3 (9.6) | 1.8 (3.2) | 5.0 (12.9) |
| Mean (SD) nearest hospital, km | 26.5 (33.9) | 31.5 (30.2) | 7.3 (11.8) | 21.2 (27.7) |
| Mean (SD) hospital beds per 1000 residents, n | 1.8 (1.3) | 2.5 (1.3) | 3.2 (0.5) | 2.7 (1.2) |
| Mean (SD) GPs per 1000 residents, n | 2.2 (0.9) | 1.6 (0.4) | 1.6 (0.1) | 1.7 (0.5) |
| Mean (SD) years since graduation | 16.4 (2.3) | 17.8 (1.5) | 18.4 (0.8) | 17.9 (1.5) |
| Mean (SD) IMGs, % | 61.9 (19.6) | 59.2 (16.4) | 29.9 (11.9) | 47.8 (21.2) |
| Mean (SD) GP retention, % | 86.3 (2.9) | 89.2 (2.3) | 91.8 (0.4) | 89.9 (2.7) |
CCI—Charlson comorbidity index, IMG—international medical graduate.