Table 5.
Comparison among the 3 pathways of patient demographic and clinical characteristics, length of episode, no. of visits, and health care impact variables for general abdominal pain: N=79 patients.
| VARIABLE | PATHWAY 1* n=43 (54.4%) | PATHWAY 2* n=7 (8.9%) | PATHWAY 3* n=29 (36.7%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mean age, y | 62.09 | 60.86 | 58.03 |
| Female sex, n (%) | 30 (69.8) | 5 (71.4) | 17 (58.6) |
| Prior psychological conditions, n (%) | 15 (34.9) | 5 (71.4) | 10 (34.5) |
| Prior chronic conditions, n (%) | 30 (69.8) | 7 (100.0) | 20 (69.0) |
| No. of visits, n (%) | |||
| • 1 | 36 (83.7) | 0 (0.0) | 26 (89.7) |
| • 2 | 6 (14.0) | 2 (28.6) | 2 (6.9) |
| • ≥3 | 1 (2.3) | 5 (71.4) | 1 (3.4) |
| Mean length of episode, mo P<.001† | 0.49 | 16.86 | 0.38 |
| Mean no. visits P<.001† | 1.26 | 4.00 | 1.14 |
| Common diagnoses | NA | Irritable bowel syndrome (50.0%) Anxiety | Diverticular disease (26.5%) Constipation GI infection |
| Prescribed medications, n (%) P=.031‡ | 19 (44.2) | 6 (85.7) | 20 (69.0) |
| Received investigations, n (%) | 8 (18.6) | 2 (28.6) | 9 (31.0) |
| Received laboratory tests, n (%) | 3 (7.0) | 0 (0.0) | 2 (6.9) |
| Received referrals, n (%) P=.002‡ | 9 (20.9) | 6 (85.7) | 7 (24.1) |
