Data from the NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY Series 13 Number 17 Utilizationof Short-StayHospitals Sutnmaryof NonmedicalStatistics United States -1971 1’ Statis;cs are presented on the utilization of short-stay hospitals based on data collected in the Hospital Discharge Survey from a national sample of hospital records of discharged patients. Dis- charges, days of care, and average length of stay are distributed by each of the variablesage, sex, and color of patient and by geographic region, bed size, and type of ownership (control) of hospital. DHEW Publication No. (HRA) 75-1768 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE Public Health Service Health Resowces Administration National Center for Health Statistics Rockville, Md. August 1974
Transcript
Data from the
NATIONAL HEALTH SURVEY
Series 13
Number 17
UtilizationofShort-StayHospitalsSutnmaryofNonmedicalStatisticsUnited States -1971
1’
Statis;cs are presented on the utilization of short-stay hospitalsbased on data collected in the Hospital Discharge Survey from anational sample of hospital records of discharged patients. Dis-charges, days of care, and average length of stay are distributed byeach of the variablesage,sex, and color of patient and by geographicregion, bed size, and type of ownership (control) of hospital.
DHEW Publication No. (HRA) 75-1768
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFARE
Public Health Service
Health Resowces Administration
National Center for Health Statistics
Rockville, Md. August 1974
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Lewis, W. Frank
Utilization of short-stay hospitals.
(Vital and health statistics. Series 13: Data from the National Health survey, no. 17)(DHEW publication no. (HRA) 75-1768)
Supt. of Dots. no.: HE2O.221O: 13/17.Bibliography: p.1. Hospital utilization–United States–Statistics. I. United States. National Center for
Health Statistics. II. Title. III. Series: United States. National Center for Health Statistics.Vital and health statistics. Series 13: Data from the National Health Survey. Data from thehospital discharge survey, no. 17. IV. Series: United States. Dept. of Health, Education, andWelfare. Publication no. (HRA) 75-1768. [DNLM: 1. Hospitalization-Statistics. 2. Hospitals,Special–Utilization–U.S. W2A N 148vm no. 2 etc.]RA407.3.A349 no. 17 [RA981.A2] 362.1’1’0973sISBN 0-8406 -0003-8 [362.1’1’0973] 74-2233
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing office, Washington, D.C. 20402- Price S5 cents
NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTH STATISTICS
EDWARD B. PERRIN, Ph. D., J!)i~~CtO~
PHILIP S, LAWRENCE, SC.D., Deputy DirectorJACOB J. FELDMAN, Ph.D., Acting Assockzfe Director for Analysis
GAIL F. FISHER, Associate Director for the Cooperative I-Jeakh Statistics SystemELIJAH K,.WHITE, Associate Director for Data Systems
IWAO M. MORIYAMA, Ph. D., Associate Director for International StatisticsEDWARD E. MINTY, Associate Director for ManagementROBERT A, ISRAEL, Associate Directorfor Operations
QUENTIN R. REMEIN, Associate Director for Program DevelopmentPHILIP S. LAWRENCE, SC.D., Actin: Associute Director for ~esearch
ALICE HAYWOOD, Information Officer
DIVISION OF HEALTH RESOURCES UTILIZATION STATISTICS
SIEGFRIED A. HOERMANN, Director
WILLIAM F. STEWART, Acting Deputy Director
TOY C. TAIRA, Acting Chiej Hospital Cure Statktics Branch
COOPERATION OF THE BUREAU OF THE CENSUS
Under the legislation establishing the National Health Survey,
the Public Health Service is authorized to use, insofar as possible,
the services or facilities of other Federal, State, or private agencies.In accordance with specifications established by the National
Center for Health Statistics, the Bureau of the Census, under acontractual arrangement, participated in planning the survey andcollecting the data.
Discharge and Discharge Rates -----------------------------------------Age and Sex--------------------------------------------------------Wlor -------------------------------------------------------------Bed Size of Hospital ------------------------------------------------Type of Ownership of Hospital ---------------------------------------
Days of Care and Len~h of Stay ----------------------------------------Age and Sex-------------------- ------------------------------------Color -------------------------------------------------------------Bed Size of Hospital ------------------------------------------------Type of Wnership of Hospital ---------------------------------------
Geographic Region ----------------------------------------------------Age and Sex-------------------------------------------------------Color -------------------------------------------------------------
List of Detailed Tables ------------------------------------------------
Appendix I. Technical Notes on Methods ------------------------------Statistical Design of the Hospital Discharge Survey --------------------Population Estimates -----------------------------------------------General Qualifications ----------------------------------------------Reliability of Estimates ---------------------------------------------
Appendix 11. Definitions of Certain Terms Used in This Report -----------Terms Relating to Hospitalization ----------------------------- -------Hospitals and Hospital Characteristics -------------------------------Demographic Terms ------------------------------------------------
Gategixy not applicable ------------------------------- . . .
Quantity zero ---------------------------------------------- -
Quantity morethan Obutless than0.05----- 0.0
Figure does not meet standards ofreliability or precision ------------------------------ *
UTILIZATION OF SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS,SUMMARY OF NONMEDICAL STATISTICS
I W. Frank Lewis, Division of Health Resources Utilisation Statistics
I INTRODUCTION
This report presents estimates on the utiliza-
1 tion of non-Federal short-stay hospitals in theI United States based on information collected in the
Hospital Discharge Survey, a continuous nation-wide survey conducted by the National Center forHealth Statistics. Data were abstracted from about200,000 hospital records of inpatients dischargedfrom 379 hospitals that participated in the survey.
Results of the survey permit generation offour basic types of reports: nonmedical, diag-nostic, surgical, and patient charges. Reportsare published in Series 13 of the Viiizl and HealthStatistics reports and as selected supplementsof Monthly Vital Statistics Reports.l-l 6Estimatesshown in this report are for patients in non-Fed-eral short-stay hospitals, excluding newborn in-fants, discharged during 1971. Nonmedical dataare presented on the number and rate of dischargesand of days of care, and average length of stayfor patients discharged, by age, sex, and colorand by geographic region, bed size, and type ofownership (control) of hospitals.
This nonmedical report will be divided pri-marily into three areas: an analysis of hospitaldischarges, an analysis of days of care and lengthof stay, and some comparisons between the fourregioos on selected variables. Since the estimatesare based on a sample of discharges from par-ticipating hospitals rather than on all dischargesfrom all short-stay hospitals, they are subject tosampling error. Tables and graphs of approximatesampling errors and instructions for their use aregiven in the section “Reliability of Estimates” inappendix I.
Appendix II contains definitions of terms re-lating to hospitalization and the characte~isticsof patients and hospitals surveyed. Since severalof these terms have specialized meaning in theHospital Discharge Survey, familiarity with thedefinitions will aid in interpreting the data.
SELECTED FINDINGS
An estimated 29.5 million inpatients weredischarged from non-Federal short-stay hospitalsin 1971. These patients received an estimated231.0 million days of care, with an average lengthof stay of 7.8 days per hospital episode. In termsof annual rates, the rate of days of care per 1,000persons in the civilian noninstitutionalized popu-lation was 1,143.1, and there was a dischargerate of 145.8 per 1,000 persons. Approximatelythree-fourths (73. 3 percent) of the discharges in1971 were from voluntary nonprofit hospitals.State and local government hospitals accountedfor 22.5 percent of the discharges and proprietaryhospitals for only 4.2 percent.
Patients under 15 years of age accounted for13.7 percent of all discharges and had a rate ofdischarge per 1,000 population of 70.2. This con-trasted with the population 65 years of age andover, whose rate of discharge was 305.7 per1,000 population. Differences in hospital utiliza-tion by sex were also noted. Rates of dischargeand of days of care were higher for females thanfor males. The discharge rate for females of169,6 per 1,000 population was 42 percent higherthan that for males, 119.6 per 1,000 population,but with hospitalization for deliveries excludedthe discharge rate for females was only 15 per-
1
cent higher than the rate for males. For thegroup 1-14 years of age, however, the dischargerate for males was higher than for females, 76.9compared to 63.0 per 1,000 population.
Hospitalization utilization figures by color
are grouped in the categories “white,” “all other, ”and “color not stated.” Since the number of dis-
charged patients for whom color was not statedis slightly larger than the all other group, dataanalysis by color must be interpreted with caution.
Based on the estimates of patients discharged for
whom color was stated, those identified as whiteoutnumbered the all other group by about 7 to 1.As a group white patients were older than all other
patients but each age - sex group had shorteraverage lengths of stay than did all other patients.
The age distribution within hospitals vaxiedby the size of the hospital. The smallest hospitalshad proportionately fewer patients 15-64 years ofage than did the largest hospitals, in which only15.9 percent of the patients were age 65 years and
over. Average length of stay increased with hos-
pital size from 6.5 days in the smallest hospitals
to 9.1 days in hospitals with 500 beds or more.Regional differences were apparent in number
of discharges, ranging from 4.2 million in theWest Region to 9.2 million in the North CentralRegion. Average length of stay was longest in theNortheast Region, 9.0 days, and lowest in the
West, where length of stay averaged only 6.5
days.
Age
DISCHARGES AND DI!KHARGE
RATES
arid Sex
Patients under 15 years of age accounted for
an estimated 4.0 million or 13.7 percent of alldischarged patients from short-stay hospitals in
1971. Of these, 2.4 percent were less than 1 year
old, 3.8 percent were 1-4 years old, and 7.5 per-cent were from 5-14 years of age (figure 1). Thedischarge rate for the group under 15 years ofage was the lowest for any age group with a rate
of 70.2 per 1,000 population (table A). In contrast,the discharge rate for persons 65 years and olderwas 305.7 discharges per 1,000 population.
Figure 1. Percent distribution of patients discharged from short-stay hospitals by age, according to sex: United States, 1971.
rate for females of 288.2 per 1,000. For all age
groups, however, discharge rates for femalesexcluding deliveries was higher than for males,137.7 versus 119.6 per 1,000. There were moremale than female discharges in each age bracketunder 15 years of age. At under 1 year of agemales outnumbered females 409,000 to 294,000;ages 1-4 years, 644,000 to 488,000; and ages 5-14
years, 1,196,000 to 992,000 (table B). Within theseyoung age groups there was a higher percent ofthe total male population than of the female popu-lation (figure 1) with 19.3 percent of the male
discharges in the age group under 15 years com-pared to 10.0 percent for females.
As shown in table A, the effect of deliveriescan be seen in the trend of discharge rates by age.
The rates for males and for females excludingdeliveries increased consistently with increasingage.
Color
Data for patients discharged by color are
shown in table 1 according to the three categories
“white, “ “all other,” and “color not stated. ” Anestimated 22.5 million white patients and 3.3million all other patients for whom color wasreported were discharged from short-stay hos-
2
Table A. Number and rats of discharges and of days of care and average length of stayfor patients discharged from short-stayhospitals, by age and sex:1071
United States,.L71.L
Age
All ages------------------------
Under 15 years-----------------------15-44 years--------------------------45-64 years--------------------------65 years and over--------------------
All ages------------------------
Under 15 Years-----------------------15-44 yeaks--------------------------45-64 years--------------------------65 years and over--------------------
All ages------------------------
Under 15 years-----------------------15-44 years--------------------------45-64 years--------------------------65 years and over--------------------
All ages------------------------
Under 15 years-----------------------15-44 years--------------------------45-64 Years--------------------------65 yea%s
All
Under 15
and over--------------------
ages------------------------
veals-----------------------L5-44 yeaks--------------------------45-64 years--------------------------65 years and over--------------------
Female
Both sexesl MaleIncluding Excludingdeliveries deliveries
lIncludesdischarge data for which sex was not stated.
3
Table B. Number of patients under 15 yearsof age discharged from short-stay hospi-tals, by age and sex: United States, 1971
Age
Under 15years -----
Under 1 year---
1-4 years ------
5-14 years -----
II I FemaleBoth Male inc Lud -
sexesl ing de-liveries
Number in thousands
3E1
Includes discharge data for which sexwas not stated.
pitals in 1971, white patients outnumbering allother patients by about 7 to 1. Color was not
stated in the medical record summary sheets
for about 3.7 million patients, a number greaterthan that for patients identified as all other. Thedistribution for those for whom color was notstated suggests that they were proportional bycolor to those for whom it was stated.
There were more white patients than allother patients 45 years and over, 46.0 percentand 29.2 percent, respectively. Approximately 1in 5 of the estimated white patients were age 65and over as compared to 1 in 8 among patients
ofraces other than white (figure 2).White patients included 40 percent males and
60 percent females compared with 36 percentmales and 64 percent females in the all othercategory. A smaller percentage of white femaleshospitalized for deliveries than all other patientsaccounted for most of this difference.
Bed Size of Hospital
For all hospital sizes the percent of patientsdischarged during 1971 under 15years ofagewasapproximately the same, between 13 and 15 per-cent; however, they differed appreciably in the
percent distributions for the three age groups 15
years anclolder (table 3). The smallest hospitals
AGE
Under 15 years
15.44 veals .. .. ... ... .. .. .. ... .. ..
45-64 years .. ... . ... .. ... .. .. .. .. .
65 years and over ... ... . .. ... .
Whine All other Color not Stdt?d
Figure2. Percent ofdischarges fromshort-stay hospitals, bycolorand age: United States, 1971.
had proportionately fewer discharged patients15-64 years ?Id than did the largest hospitals. Clnthe other hand, for the age group 65 years andover, the smallest hospitals had more patientsdischarged (26.6 percent) than the largest hos-pitals (15.9 percent). In other words, the smallerthe hospital the more likely it was that a largerpercent of its discharged patients would be foundin the oldest age group, and the larger the hos-pital the larger the relative percent of patients to
be found in the age group 15-64 years.
This age and hospital size trend was true for
males and, with the exception of the age group45-64 years, for females. The percents of femaledischarges 45-64 years old were essentially thesame (19.2, 19.7, 19.9, 21.6, 20.7) for each sizehospital. When deliveries were excluded, the trendof increased percent of patients with increased
size of hospital was still not very apparent for
this age group (23.0, 24.2, 24.8, 26.4, 26.0).
Type of Ownership of Hospital
Voluntary nonprofit hospitals (operated by
church or other nonprofit organizations) cared
for 21.6 million patients in 1971, or 73 percent
4
at a 11 patients discharged from short-stay hos-
pitals (table 4). Government hospitals (controlled
l-y Stare or local government) accounted for 6.6million discharges, or 23 percent of all patients,
and proprietary hospitals discharged 1.2 million,or 4 percent. There were relatively few differ-ences in the percent distributions by age and sex.However, the relative proportion of male to female
discharges varied with the type of hospital, gov-
ernment hospitals recording female discha~.ges49 percent greater than for males (3,961,000 and2,660,000, respectively), and voluntary and pro-
prietary hospitals showing approximately a 58-percent difference. When deliveries are excluded,the number of discharges for females is around
24 percent greater than for males for all types of
hospitals. There was a noticeable difference be-tween voluntary and government hospitals in thedistribution of their patients aged 15-44 years,with government hospitals having 45.6 percent
and voluntary hospitals only 41.9 percent of their
patients in this age group.
DAYS OF CAREAND LENGTH OF STAY
Age and Sex
rhe rates of days of care by age groups
ranged from 234.0 days per 1,000 population aged5-14 years to 5,119.8 days for persons 75 years
aud over (table 6). Starting with age group 5-14VLWrs, the days of care rate increased with each
ilclv:~nce in age. Age groups under 15 yearsr~’presented 8.2 percent of all days of care; ages15-44, 31,4 percent; ages 45-64, 27.9 percent;
and ages 65 and over, 32.7 percent of all daysof care,
The average length of stay for patients dis-
charged during 1971 was 7.8 days. Average length
of stay increased with each successive age group
from 4.7 days for patients under age 15 to 12.6days for patients aged 65 years and over. For allage groups, about two-thirds were discharged
within a week (table 7).The days of care rates per 1,000 population
were Iotyer for females than for males under 15
and over 54 years of age (table 6). Deliveries
exerted less influence on the days of care rate
than on the rate of discharges for females be-cause of the relatively short average length of
stay. The average length of stay for females aged15-44 years is lowered by approximately two-
thirds of a day when deliveries are included.Generally speaking, females under 65 years ofage had shorter lengths of stay than males, andfemales over 64 years had longer lengths of stay
(table 9).
Color
Differences between the age and sex distri-
butions of days of care utilized by white and allother patients for whom color was stated arefound in table 8. Patients under age 15 years
in the all other group used a larger proportion
(13.1 percent) of days of care than did whitepatients in this age group, who used 7.4 percent.Among white pat ients, approximate y 36 percentof the days of care were provided for patients
under 45 years of age; among all others about 55percent were provided for this age group. Forages 65 years and over white patients—both menand women-used a considerably larger percentof days of care than did all other patients, 34.9percent a~d 21. I percent, respectively.
There was little difference in the average
length of stay for all discharges by color,. withwhite patients averaging 7.9 days and all otherpatients 8.1 days per stay (table 9). Averageleng!h of sia y for the two groups was about the
same because the white discharged patients in-
cluded a larger percent of older patients withlonger hospital stays than did the all other group.For every age and sex group, however, the
average stay was significantly shorter for whitepatients than for all others. Regardless of color
status, males had a longer length of stay than did
females including deliveries. When deliveries areexcluded, all other males average 1 day longerthan all other females., primarily because of the
8.4 average length of stay for age group 15-44years. White males and those with color notstated had approximately the same lengths ofstay as did females excluding deliveries.
Bed Size of Hospital
Days of care for hospital size also varied byage. For patients aged 65 years and over, re-
ported days of care ranged from 25.0 percent
5
in t“he iargest hospitals to 43.8 percent in thesmallest hospitals (table 12). Days of care forpatients of ages 15-44 was 25.7 percent in hos-pitals with fewer than 100 beds and 36.3 percentin those with 500 beds or more.
Average length of stay increased as age and
hospital size increased, ranging from 6.5 days inthe smallest hospitals to 9.1 days in the largesthospitals and from 4.7 days for the youngest groupto 12.6 days for the oldest group. This was truefor both sexes (table 13). The shortest length ofstay, 3.8 days, u’as for the age group under 15discharged from hospitals with 6-99 beds. The
longest length of stay was 14.3 days for the group
65 years and over discharged from hospitals with500 beds or more.
The pattern of length of stay increasing by
size of hospital was true for each of the four
regions. The trend was most evident in the North-east and West Regions, where average length of
stay in the largest hospitals exceeded that in thesmallest hospitals by 3.5 days (table 16). Thistrend was more pronounced for males than forfemales in each of the four regions, regardlessof delivery status. For the male episodes in the
15-44 age group, the average length of stay in thelargest hospitals was 74 percent longer or morethan that in the smallest hospitals in each of the
regions.
Type of Ownership of Hospital
The 231.0 million days of care utilized in 1971were distributed by ownership of hospital asfollows: voluntary nonprofit hospitals provided173.5 million days, or 75.1 percent; governmenthospitals provided 49.0 million days, or 21.2percent; and proprietary hospitals provided 8.5million days, or 3.7 percent (table 14).
The relative proportion of males to femalesvaried considerably among the three types ofhospitals for days of care provided. In government
hospitals days of care provided fur females in-
cluding deliveries was 27 percent greater thanthe days for males, for voluntary nonprofit hos-pitals days of care provided for females was
38 percent greater than for males, and for pro-prietary hospitals days of care for females was50 percent greater than for males.
Average length of stay ‘was consistently
shorter in proprietary hospitals than involuntary
nonprofit hospitals for both sexes and all age
groups. Average length of stay in governmenthospitals was also shorter than in voluntary non-profit hospitals for both sexes and all age groupsexcept under 15 years, where average length of
stay was longer in the government hospitals(table 15). For all age groups under 65 years, theaverage length of stay in proprietary hospitalswas shorter than in the other hospital ownershipgroups for both sex groups and all age groups.The difference between length of stay for male
and female including deliveries was also smallest
for proprietary hospitals, about half a day com-pared to approximately 1 day for voluntary non-profit and government hospitals. The average
length of stay is about the same for both sexeswhen deliveries are excluded. For the group15-44 years old, the average length of stay formales varied between half a day and 2 days longer
than that for females, regardless of deliverystatus, for each type of hospital.
GEOGRAPHIC REGION
Age and Sex
The number of discharges in 1971 by geo-
graphic region ranged from 4.2 million in theWest Region to 9.2 million in the North CentralRegion (table 5). The number of discharges per
1,000, population ranged from an estimated 122.6in the West Region to 162.9 in the North CentralRegion; among the age groups the greatestrelative difference is found in the group less than
15 years, 85.1 in the North Central and 54.4 in theWest per 1,000 population (table C).
The number of days of care per 1,000 popu-lation followed a similar pattern, again being
lowest in the West Region and highest in the NorthCentral Region. The rates were 790.9 days and1,304.4 days, respectively, a difference of 65.0
percent. For patients under age 15 years, these
two regions differed even more significantly, wnhthe days of care per 1,000 m the North CentralRegion being 99 percent higher than those in the
West Region (393.2 and 197.4 days of care).Average length of stay in days was highest in
the Northeast Region and again lowest in the West
6
Table C. Rate of discharges and of days of care and average length of stay for pa-tients discharged from short-stav hospitals, by age and geographic region: Unitedstates, 1971 w
.
Age
All ages -----------------------
Under 15 years ----------------------15-44 years -------------------------45-64 years -------------------------65 years and over -------------------
All ages -----------------------
Under 15 years ----------------------15-44 years -------------------------45-64 years -------------------------65 years and over -------------------
All ages -----------------------
Under 15 years ----------------------15-44 years -------------------------45-64 years -------------------------65 years and over -------------------
Region, being 9.0 days and 6.5days, respectively.This pattern was consistent for all age groups,with the difference between the Northeast andtlieWest Regions being again greatest in the groupunder 15 years, 5.2and3.6 days, respectively, adifference of44.4 percent.
The average length of stay showed the sameage and regional trends, with length of stay forboth sexes being longest in the Northeast Regionfor the age group over 65 years, and shortest inthe West Region for the group less than15 years.Ziverage length of stay for males was slightlylonger than for females in all regions. Females65years andover in each ofthe four regions hadlonger stays than did males in this age group (table11).
Color
When color is considered, differences werefound arnungthe regions in therate ofdischarges.
The Northeast Region had the highest proportionof white discharges (82.7 percent) and the NorthCentral Region the lowest (71.0percent) (figure3). The South had the smallest proportion ofits patients in the not stated category, 6.4 percent,in contrast to the North Central Region,whichhad21.2 percent listed as not stated.
Deliveries represented asmaller proportionof white patients than of all other patients hos-pitalized, 10.5 percent and 17.4 percent, respec-tively (figure 4). With the exception of the WestRegion, deliveries represented a smaller pro-portion of the total discharges for white patientsthanfor all others.
Average length of stay bycolorwasabso notconsistent among regions. IntheNortheast, South,and West Regions white patientshadshorterstaysthan all others (figure 5), whereas the NorthCentral Region showed no apparent color varia-tion. Excluding deliveries, about half the white
7
RACE
Not stated. .. .. .. .. .... .. .. ... ..
All Uhw. . . .. .. ... .. . ... ... ... . ..
White.., ... .. .. .. ... .. ... .. ... .. .
Northeast South West North Central
REGION
Figure 3. Percent of patients discharged from short-stay hospi-tals, by geographic region and color: United States, 1971.
patients hospitalized were 45 years of age andover in every region (figure 6), whereas only 35percent of all other patients were 45 years orolder.
For the population 15 years and over, regionaldifferences were found in the all other groups.Over 70 percent of the Northeast and North Centraldischarges were in the 15-44 age group contrasted
REGION
4!1regions . . .. ..
Vorth
Central . . .. ..20.8
couth ... . . .. . .. . .
northeast .. . . ..
Races otherthan white
Vest . .. . .. . .. . . .. . White
I I 1 I Io 5
I10 15 20 25
PERcENT
Figure 4. Percent of deliveries of total discharges from short-stay hospitals, by geographic region and color: UnitedStates, 1971.
REGION
AllRegions..
Northeast...
North
Central,..,
South . .. .. .. .
West . ... .. ... .
m %%%’ = White = ColorNot Stwed
I I I I I Io 2 4 6 a 1(
AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY IN DAYS
Figure 5. Average length of stay for patients discharged fromshoi-t-stay hospitals, by geographic region and color: UnitedStates, 1971.
to the South and West, which had only 62.2 and56.5 percent, respectively, of their discharges inthis age group (table D).
rhe average length of stay for all othersvaried considerably for the group 65 years andover among regions, with 11.6 days of care inthe West and 21.7 in the Northeast (table E),
Figure 6. Percent of patients aged 45 years and over of total in-patients discharged from short-stay hospitals, excluding deliv-eries, by geographic region and color: United States, 1971.
8
Table D. Number and percent distributionof patients 15 years of age and Over dis.charged from short-stay hospitals by geographic region and age, accorc?f.ngCO color:United States, 1971
=
Percent distribution
Geographic region andage
II I I
Number in thousandsUnited States
15 years and bver- 25,431 19,477 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0
15-44 years-------------45-64 years-------------65 years and over-------
12,6056,8405,986
6,061
9,1595,4304,888
5,020
1,812 1,633570 840495 693
50.026.923.5
100.0
47.027.925.1
100.0
65.020.514.5
100.0
51.626.521.9
100.0
Northeast
15 years and over---
15-44 years-------------45,64 years-------------65 years and over-------
North Central
15 years and over---
562 479
3,0061,6651,390
7,785
2,3621,4291,229
5,556
397 ‘ 247108 12857 104
49.627.522.9
100.0
::.;
24:5
100.0
70.719.210.1
100.0
51.526.721.7
.100.0583] 1,648
415 830110 44058 378
15-44 years-------------45-64 years-------------65 years and over-------
South
3,8382,1321,815
2,5931,5831,380
6,098
2,8291,6731,596
2,802
49.327.423.3
100.0
49.326.024.7
100.0
46.728.524.8
100.0
46.427.426.2
100.0
71.218.99.9
100.0
62.219.917.9
100.0
;;.;
22:9
100.0
52.423.324.2
100.0
15 years and over--- 1,262I 5217,8821
15-44 years-------------45-64 years-------------65 years and over-------
3,8872,0461,949
785 273251 122226 126
West
381 52015 years and over--- 3,702
215 284101 15165 85
15-44 years-------------45-64 years-------------65 years and over-------
1,873996833
1,375744683
50,626.922.5
49.126.624.4
56.526.517.0
54.629.016;4
CONCLUSIONPatientsunder 15 years of age had the1.lo,~estratesof dischargesand days Of
short-stayhospitalsintheUnitedStatesfor1971in terms of age, sex, race,hospitalsizeand
ownership,and regionsbased on theHospitalDischargeSurveycanbe summarizedas follows:
9
Table E. Average length of stay for patierts 15 years of age and over discharged fromshort-stay hospitals, by geographic region, age, and color: United States, 1971
=7=Geographic region and age Coloz notstated
Total
United States
15 years and over --------------------
15-44 years --------------------------------45-64 years --------------------------------65 years and over - -- -- - -- - - - - - -- - - -- --- -- - -
Northeast
15 years and over ----------------------
15-44 years --------------------------------45-64 years --------------------------------65 years and over --------------------------
North Central
15 years and over ----------------------
15-44 years --------------------------------45-64 years --------------------------------65 years and over --------------------------
South
15 years and over ----------------------
15-44 years ------- ------- ------- ------- ----&5-64 years --------------------------------65 years and over --------------------------
West
15 years and over -----------------------
15-44 years --------------------------------45-64 years --------------------------------65 years and over --------------------------
Average length of stay in days
8.3 8.4 8.5 8,0
5.7
J::
9.5
5.6
1;::
9.6
1::;14.1
10.2 8.6
1!::15.2
8.6
6.0
1:;;
7.9
1%:15,0
8.7
1;:;21.7
8.5
5.8
1:::
8.3
5.9
1!:?
7.8
12:15.0
8.1 8.0
5.5
1::;
6.8
1::;12.8
7.3
6.8
18:?
6.6
5.4
1!::?;9,9
2. Female patients overall had higher dis-charge and days of care rates than didmale, but male rates were higher thanthose offemales forage groups less than15 and over 64 years old. Average lengthof stay was longer for female patientsaged65 years and over.
3. White patients were generally older thanpatients inthe all other category, had agreater proportion of female patients(but with proportionally fewer deliveries),and had a shorter average length of stayforeach age and sex group.
10
4. Small hospitals tended tohave a greaterproportion of their patients in the oldestage group, and large hospitals had pro-portionately more of their patients in the15-64 age group. Average length of staywas shortest in the smallest hospitals andincreased steadily with hospital size.
5. Voluntary hospitals cared for almost
three-quarters of all patients dischargedand reported female discharges 53 per-cent greater than for male. Voluntarynonprofit hospitals had the longest averagelength of stay and proprietary hospitalsthe shortest.
6. The North Central Region had the highest
rate of discharges and days of care per
1,000 population, and the West Region hadthe lowest rates. Average length of staywas also lowest in the West Region.
7. In general, patients under 15 years of ageadmitted to hospitals with less than 100beds in the West Region had the shortesthospital episodes, whereas female pa-tients 65 years old and over admitted tohospitals with 500 beds or more locatedin the Northeast Region had the longestaverage length of stay.
A more complete analysis of the interrela-tionships among these variables and their effectson reported estimates is not possible due to the
sampling errors inherent in the statistical design.
—ooo —
11
REFERENCES
1Nation~ Center for Health Statistics: Utikation of
short-stay hospitals, summary of nonmedical statistics, United
States, 1965. Vital and Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No.
1000-Series 13-No. 2. Public Health Service. Washington. U.S.
Government Printing Office, Aug. 1967.2Nation~ Center for Health statistics: Utfiization of
short-stay hospitals by characteristics of discharged patients,
United States, 1965. Vital and Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No.
1000-Series 13-No. 3. Public Health Service. Washington. U.S.
Government Printing Office, Dec. 1967.
3Nation~ Center for Health Statistics: Patients discharged
from short-stay hospitals by size and type of ownership, United
States, 1965. Vital and Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No.
1000-Series 13-No. 4. Public Health Service. W~shington. U.S.
Government Printing Office, Dec. 1968.
4Nationd Center for Health Statistics: Regiomd utiliza-
tion of short-stay hospitals, United States, 1965. t’ifal and
Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No. 1000-Series 13-No. 5. PublicHealth Service. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office,
June 1969.5Nation~ Center for Health Statistics: Inpatient utika -
tion of short-stay hospitals by diagnosis, United States, 1965.
Vital and Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No. 1000-Series 13-No. 6.
Public Health Service. Washington. U.S. Government Printing
Office, May 1970.
6p~ation~ Center for Health Statistics: Surgical operations
in short-stay hospitals for discharged patients, United States,
1965. Vital and Health Sf&istics. PHS Pub. No. 1000-Series
13-No. 7. Public Health Service. Washington. U.S. Government
Printing Office, Apr. 1971,7Nation~ Center for Health Statistics: Utikation of
short-stay hospitals, summary of nonmedical statistics, United
States, 1966. Vital and Health Statistics. Series 13-No. 8.
DHEW Pub. No. (HSM) 72-1006. Health Services and Mental
Health Administration. Washington. U.S. Government Printing
Office, Sept. 1971.8 Nation~ Center for Health Statistics: Utfiization of
short-stay hospitals, summary of nonmedical statistics, United
$tates, 1967. Vital and Health Statistics. Series 13-No. 9.
DHEW Pub. No. (HSM) 72-1058. Health Services and Mental
Health Administration. Washington. U.S. Government Printing
Office, May 1972.
9Nation~ Center for Health Statistics: Inpatient utiliza-
tion of short-stay hospitals in each geographic division, United
States, Vital msd Health Statistics. Series 13-No. 10. DHEW
Pub. No. (HSM) 73-1761. Health Services and Mental Health
Administration. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office,
NOV. 1972.
10Nation~ Center for Health Statistics: Surgical opera-
tions in short-stay hospitals, United States, 1968. I’ital md
Health Statistics. Series 13-No. 11. DHEW Pub. No. {HSM)
73-1762. Health Services and Mental Health Administration.
Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Jan. 1973.11 Nation~ Center for Health Statistics: Inpatient utikza-
tion of short-stay hospitals by diagnosis, United States, 1968.
Vital and Health Statistics. Series 13-No. 12. DHEW Pub. NCJ.
(HSM) 73-1763. Health Services and Mental Health Administra-
tion. Washington. U.S. Government Printing Office, Mar. 1973,
12Nationd Center for Health Statistics: Average length of
stay in short-stay hospitals: demographic factors, United
States, 1968. Vital and Health ~I&tics. Series 13-No. 13.
DHEW Pub. No. (HSM) 73-1764. Health Services and Mental
Health Administration. Washington. U.S. Government Printing
Office, Apr. 1973.13 Nation~ center for Health Statistics: Utflkation of
short-stay hospitals, summary of nonmedical statistics: United
Supplement (HSM) 73-1134. Roclwille, Md. Health Services
and Mental Health Administration, July 5, 1973.16Nation~ Center for He&h Statistics: Development and
maintenance of a national inventory of hospitals and institu-
tions. Vital and Health Statistics. PHS Pub. No. 1000-Selies
1-No. 3. Public Health Services. Washington. U.S. Government
Printing Cffice, Feb. 1965.
12
LIST OF DETAILED TABLES
Table 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Number and percent distribution of patients discharged from short-stay hospitalsby color and age of patient, according to sex: United States, 1971---------------
Number and percent distribution of patients discharged from short-stay hospitalsby geographic region and age, according to sex: United States, 1971-------------
Number and percent distribution of patients discharged from short-stay hospitalsby bed size of hospital .smdage of patient,according to sex:United States, 1971-
Number and percent distribution of patients $ischarged from short-stay hospitalsby type of ownership of hospital and age of patient,States, 1971
according to sex: United------------------------------- :----------------------- -------------
Number of patients discharged from short-stay hospitals and days of care,by sex,age, geographic region, and bed size of hospital: United States, 1971-----------
Number, percent distribution, and rate of days of care, average number of hos-pital beds occupied daily, and average length of stay for patients dischargedfrom short-stay hospitals, by sex and age: United States, 1971------------------
Number and percent distribution of patients discharged from short-stay hospitalsby age and length of stay, according to sex: United States, 1971----------------
Number and percent distribution of days of care for patients discharged fromshort-stay hospitals by color and age of patient, according to sex: UnitedStates, 1971--------------------------------------------------------------------
Average length of stay for patients discharged from short-stay hospitals bycolor, age, and sex: United States, 1971----------------------------------------
Number and percent distribution of days of care for patients discharged fromshort-stay hospitals by geographic region and age, according to sex: UnitedStates, 1971--------------------------------------------------------------------
Average length of stay for patients discharged from short-stay hospitals by geo-graphic region, age, and sex: United States, 1971-------------------------------
Number and percent distribution of days of care for patients discharged fromshort-stay hospitals by bed size of hospital and age of patient, according tosex: United States, 1971--------------------------------------------------------
Average length of stay for patients discharged from short-stay hospitals by bedsize of hospital, age of patient, and sex: United States, 1971------------------
Number and percent distribution of days of care for patients discharged fromshort-stay hospitals by type of ownership of hospital and age of patien~ accord-ing to sex: United States, 1971-------------------------------------------------
Average length of stay for patients discharged from short-stay hospitals by typeof ownership of hospital, age of patient, and sex: United States, 1971----------
Average length of stay for paLients discharged from short-stay hospitals by sex,age, geographicregion, and bed size of hosPital: United States, 1971-----------
Page
14
15
16
17
18
21
22
24
25
26
27
28
29
3!)
31
32
13
TABLE 1. NUMBER ANO PERCENT DISTRIBUTIIJN OF PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS BYCOLOR AND AGE OF PATiENT, ACCORDING TO SEX: UNITECJ STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUDES NEWBORN INFANTS)
1/ BOTH MALESEXES
FEMALEINCLUD-
I~lG
OELIV-EFiIES
FEMALEEXCLUCJ-
INGDELIV-
ERIES
COLORANO AGE
NUMBER OF PATIENTS DISCHARGED PERCENT 01STPI13UTICNTOTAL
ALL AGES . . . . . .
IN THOUSANDS
17.767 1+,431 10!3.0
:[
10CI.O
13.7 19.342.8 29.823.2 27.820.3 23.2
100.0 100.0
13.2 18.340.8 28.724.2 28.521.8 24.5
100.0 100.0
2!>.*59 11,644 10C).J 190.(-
12.240.22+.522.7
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER..
4,02912,605
6,840
5,986
22,451
2,9749,1595,4304,888
3,338
2,2493,4673,2322,696
9,011
1,7739,1183.5963.280
13.435
1,7595,8013,5903,280
11,086
10.051.320.218.5
100.0ALL AGES . . . . . . 10C).O
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEAKS ANO OVER..
1,65.22,5852,5682,206
1,198
1,3226,5712,8bl2,680
2,138
1,3174,2312,8582,680
1,558
9.848.921.320.0
100.0
10.B65.014.210.1
100.0
10.152.719.717.5
11.q38.225.824.2
ALL OTHER
ALL AGES . . . . . . 100.0
14.252.619.413.8z16.5 26.8
54.3 35.317.1 22.212.1 15.8
100.0 100.0
13.7 19.244.5 32.122.9 27.718.9 21.0
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER..
COLOR NIJT STATEO
5511,812
570405
3,670
321422266189
1,435
2301,389
303215
2* 195
222819302215
1,786ALL AGES . . . . . . 100.0
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER..
5041,633
840693
276460397301
2211,157
432384
221751431384
12.442.024.121.5
1/ INCLUOES DISCHbRGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
TAt3LE 2. NLIMBER AND PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM SHORT-S”fAY HOSPITALS BYGEOGRAPHIC REGION AND AGE, ACCORDING TO SEX: UN?TEO STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUoES NEWBORN INFANTS)
FEMALE FEMALEI NCLUO- EXCLUO- aEIm
PERCENT OIS”rRIBUTION
REGION AND AGE 1/ BOTHSEXES
MALE 1 NGDELIV-ERIES
INGOELIV–ERIES
NUMBEF. OF PATIENTS ’OISCHARGEOIN THOUSANOSUNITED STATES
ALL AGES . . . . . . 14,431 100.0 100.0 100.0
12.240.22+.322.7
100.0
10.741.825.222.3
100.0
13.438.925.322.4
100.0
12.240.024.023.8
100.0
29,459
4,02912,6056,8405,986
6,912
8513,0061,6651,390
9,171
1,3853,8382,1331,815
9,136
1,2553,B872,0461,949
4,241
11.644 L7,767——
1,7739,1183,5963,280
4,180
100.0
13.742.8
23.2.?0.3
100.0
12.343.524.120.1
100.0
15.141.923.319.8
100.0
13.742.522.421.3
100.0
12.744.223.519.6
1,7595,8013,5903.280
19.329.827.823.2
100.0
10.CI51.320.218.5
100.0
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEAh’S ANO OVER..
2,2493,4673,2322,696
2,716—.
483788610635
3,611
7721,050
986803
3,629
6981,096
962873
1,689
NORTHEAST
ALL AGES . . . . . . 3,378
3652,212
B52752
G. 545
6092,7831,1431,009
5,495
3631,413
851752
17.829.029.823.4
100.0
8.752.920.418.0
100.0
11.050.220.618.2
100.0
10.150.719.719.5
100.0
9.552.520.417.6
UPiUER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YLARS ANO OVER..
W THR CENTRAL
4,508ALL AG ES......
6051,7521,141i,oo9
21.429.127.322.2
100.0
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER..
w
ALL AGES . . . . . . 4,501
19.230.226.524.1
100.0
17.531.628.122.B
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER..
5562,7861.0811.072
2,547
5501,8001,0791,072
ALL AGES . . . . . . 2,043
242835519447
11.840.925.421.9
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER..
5381,873
996833
295533474385
2431,338
519447
1/ INCLUDES DISCHARGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEOi
15
TABLE 3. NUMBER AND PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM SHORT-STAY WOSPITALS BYBED SIZE OF HOSPITAL ANO AGE OF PATIENT, ACCORDING TO SEX: UNITED STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUDES NEWBORN INFANTS)
dEEEBED SIZE OFHOSPITAL AND AGE
./ BOTH MALE ING I NGSEXES DELIV- DELIV-
ERIES ERIESII I I
PERCFNT DISTRIBUTIONNUMBER OF PATIENTS DISCHARGEDIN THOUSANOSALL SIZES
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER..
4,02912,605
6,8405,986
5,829
2,24S3,4673,2322,696
2,310
1,7739,1183,5963,280
3*51O
1,7595,8013,5903,280
2,921
13.742.823.220.3
i09.O
19.329.827.023.2
130.0
10.051.320.2lB.5
100.0
12.240.224.922.7
lDO.O
6-95 8EOS
ALL AGES . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER..
7812,2531,2441,552
6,054.—
8522,5191,3711,312
5,186
3411,627
672870
3,692
3891.859
727717
3, 137
9.746.419.224.~
100.0
10.550.319.719.4
100.0
438623569680
2,354
462657641593
2,039
3391,041
672870
3,004
3861, 175
726717
2,517
13.438.621.326”.6
100.0
14.141.622.621.7
100.0
19.027.024.629.4
100.0
19.627.927.225.2
100.0
11.635.623.02’2.8
:00.0
12.939.124.223.9
100.0
100-199 BEOS
ALL AGES . . . . . .
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER..
700-299 BEOS
ALL AGES . . . . . .
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .13-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER..
7722,2441,197
973
6,877
425603570441
2,762
3461,637
624530
4,100
3441,019
624530
3*347
14.943.323.118.8
100.0
20.929.628.021.6
100.0
11.052.219.916.9
100.0
13.740.524.B21.1
100.0
30 0-499 8EOS
ALL AGES . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER..
9182,9851,7011,272
5* 513
7052,6041,326
877
522857814570
2,178
400728637413
3942*121
884700
3,328
3041,873
688463
3911,373
882700
2,642
29917194
686463
13.443.424.718.5
100.0
12.847.224.115.9
18.931.029.520.6
100.0
18.433.429.3lB.9
9.651.721.617.1
100.0
9.156.320.713.9
11.741.026.420.9
100.0
11.345.226.017.5
~00 BEOS OR MORE
ALL AGES . . . . . .
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER..
1/ INCLUDES DISCHARGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATED.
16
TABLE 4. NUMBER AND PERCENT DISTRIBUTION CIF PATIENTS DISCHARGE FROM SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS BYTYPE OF OWNERSHIP OF HOSPITAL ANO AGE OF PATIENT, ACCOF?OING TO SEX: UNITED STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUOES NEWBORN INFANTSI
1/ BCITISEXES
I IFEMALE FEMALE
INCLUD- EXCLUO-1 NG I NG
OELIV– OELIV–ERIES ERIES
1/ BOTH MALESEXES
FEMALEINCLUO-
INGOELIV–EPIES
FEMALEEXCLUD-
INGDELIV-ERIES
TYPE OF OWNERSHIPANLl AGE
MALE
1 1
NUMBER OF DISCHARGE PATIENTS PERCENT OISTPIBUTIONALL TYPES
ALL AGES . . . . . . .
IN THOUSANOS
29,455 11,644 17,767 1+,431 100.0 103.0
10.051.320.218.5
100.0
100”.0
12.240.224.922.7
10C).O
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER...
4,02:12,6135
6,84C5,986
ZZ,5BS
2,2493,4673,2322,696
1,7739,1183.5963,280
13,048
1,7595,8013,5903,280
10,667
13.742.823.220.3
100.0
19.329.827.823.2
10D.O
VilLUNTAkY NGNPROFIT
ALL AGES . . . . . . . 8,502 100.0
UNUFR 15 YEARS . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER...
2,9559,0495,1824,3.95
6,62S
1*6342,4562,4451,96B
1,3206,5772,7282,423
3,961
1,3124,2072,7252,423
3,120
376
1,31B724701
644
13.741.924.020.4
100.0
19.228.928.823.1
100.0
19.832.624.922.7
100.0
10.150.420.918.6
100.0
9.654.318.317.7
100.0
12.339.425.522.7
GOVERNMENT
ALL AGES . . . . . . . 2,660
528867662603
100.0
12.042.323.222.5
UNIJER 15 YEARS . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AINO OVER...
90s3,0231*39C1,306
1,241
3812,153
727701
758
13.745.621.019.7
130.0
PR OPRIETARY
ALL AGES . . . ..-. 481 100.0
UNLIER 15 YEARS . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER...
160533267281
87144125125
72389141156
72275141156
12.943.021.522.6
18.229.926.026.0
9.551.318.620.5
11.242.721.924.2
1/ INCLUDES DISCH4RGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
17
TABLE 5. NUMBER CF PATIENiS DISCHARGED FROM SHORT–STAY HOSPITALS AND OAYS OF CAPE, BY SEX> AGE*GEOGRAPHIC REGION, AND !3E0 SIZE OF HOSPIT.iL: UNITEO STATES* 1971
1/ INCLUDES OISCHflRGE DATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
18
TABLE 5. NUMBER CF FATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM SHURT–STAY HOSPITALS ANO OAYS OF CARE, BY SEX, AGE,GEOGRAPHIC REGION, ANO 15E0 SIZE OF HOSPITAL: UNITEO STATES, 1971-–CON.
([ISLHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY I-ICSDITALS. EXCL’JflFS NEWBIlpN INFA~’TS)————
BED SI.LE OF HOSPITAL
SEX, AGE. AND P.EGIONALL
SIZES6-9913EOS
1oo-499BEDS
500BEOS
ORMORE
NUMBER OF PATIENTS OISCHARGEO I NUMBER OF OAYS OF CAREMALE--CON.
NURTH CENTRAL . . . . . . . . . . .
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER . . . . . . . . . . . .
3,611
IN THOUSANOS IN THOUSANOS
19,033
2,2684,5715,9646,230
14,246.—
1,5653,7504,4474,485
8,131
584 2,285 738 3G,370 4, 073
442696
1,0071,928
7,268
8341,3481,6493,436
2,192
7,264
9332,0482,5271,756
7,16C
7721,050
986803
3,629
11s146141178
1,091——
i97286258351
391
50167761749L
1,77C
152227228131
767
150268212138
179
3,6447,3159,4989,913
South . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . . . . . . . . .
TABLE 5. NUMBER C?F PATIENTS DISCHARGED FRCIM SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS ANO OAYS OF CARE, BY SEX, AGE,GEOGRAPHIC REGION, ANO BEO SIZE OF tlOSPITAL: UNITEO STATES, 1971--CON.
(DISCHARGES FROM NGNFEOERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUOES NEWBORN INFANTS)
TABLE 6. NUMHER, PERCENT DISTRIBUTION, ANO RATE OF OAYS OF CARE, AVERAGE NUMBER OF HOSPITAL13EDS OCCUPIEO DAILY, AND AVERAGE LENGTH Of STAY FOR PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM SHORT–STAY HOSPI-TALS, BY SEX ANO AGE: UNITEO STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NCNFEOERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUOES NEWBORN INFANTS)
I1/ EXPRESSED AS OAILY NUM8ER OF BEOS OCCUPIEO PER 100,OOG CIVILIAN, NONINSTITUTIONALIZED
PCIPULATION.
I 2/ INCLUOES OISCHARGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATED.
21
TABLE 7. NUMBER AND PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS BYAGE AND LENGTH OF STAY, ACCOROING TO SEX:. UNITED STATES, 1971--CON.
(DISCHARGES ROM NONFEDERAL SHDRT-STA’{ HOSPITALS. EXCLUDES NEWBCIRN INFANTS)
1 I
T/ BOTH PALESEXES--L
FEMALE FEMALEINCLUO- EXCLUO–
1 NG INGOELIV- OELIV–ERIES ERIES
FEMALE FEMALEINCLUO- EXCLUD-
ING INGDELIV- DELIV-ERIES EPIES
AGE,AND LENGTHDF STAY
1/ BOTHSEXES
MALE
NUM~
29,459
7202,2054,2213,7173,2214,3252,9591,9784,0631,199
852
4,029
OF DISCHARGED PATIENTS PERCENT DISTRIBUTIONALL AGES
1/ INCLUOES OISCHARGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
22
TAR I F 7. NIIMRFR ANl_l PFI?CFNT i)TSTRIFl(JTIIIN flF PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS BY. ------ . .. . . . ----- .-...-—-AGE AND LENGTH OF STAY, AC~D~DING TO SEX: UNITEO STATES, 1971-–CON.
(DISCHARGES FROM IPIONFEOEPAL SHORT–STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUOES NEWBORN NFANTS )
FEMALEINCLUD-
INGDELIV-ERIES
1/ BOTHSEXES
MALE1/ BOTHSEXES
FEMALE FEMALEINCLUD- EXCLUD-
1 NG INGOELIV- DELIV-ERIES ERIES
FEMALEEXCLUD-
1 NGDELIV-ERIES
AGE ANO LENGTHOF STAY
MALE
NUMBER OF OISCHARGEO PATIENTS PERCENT DISTRIBUTION45-64 YEARS
1/ INCLUOES OISCHORGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
23
TABLE 8. NUMBER AND PERCENT DISTRIBUTION flF DAYS OF CARE FOR PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM SHORT-STAYHOSPITALS BY COLOR ANO AGE OF PATIENT, ACCOROING TO SEX: UNITEO STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. ’EXCLUDES NEWBORN INFANTS)
II I FEMALE FEMALEINCLUO- EXCLUD-
COLOR ANO AGE 1/ BOTHSEXES
MALE
NUMBER OF DAYS OF CARE PERCENT DISTRIBUTION~
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
IN THOUSANOS
132,906
8,18348,33933,60642,778
101,183
231,017
18,77372,35964,30475,581
176.252
97,723
10,56523.86630,59532,696
119,374
8, 13034,88733,50042,778
91.740
100.0
8.131.327.832.7
100.0
100.0
10.824.431.333.5
100.0
6.236.425.332.2
100.0
100.0
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
hHITE
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
ALL OTHER
ALL AGES . . . . . ..-.
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
COLOR NOT STATEO
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
6.829.228.135.8
75,036 100.0 100.0
13,08351,37550,33961,454
27,1B4
7,28517,11B24,00526,62B
5,79634,24026,33134,816
15,720
5,77624,B3326,31534,816
13,378
7.429.128.634.9
100.0
9.722.832.035.5
5.733.8
26.034.4
100.0
9.549.721.519.4
100.0
6.327.128.738.0
11,451 10C.O 100.0
10.941.125.222.8
3,55611,377
6,5235,728
27,581
2,0653,5673,1402,680
1,4887,8073,3813,044
16,002
1,4585,5023,3743,044
14,257
13.141.924.021.1
100.0
18.031.127.423.4
11,235 100.0 100.0
2,1349,6077,4428,398
1,2153,182314503,3B8
8996,2923,8944,918
8964,5523,8914,918
7.734.827.030.4
10.828.330.730.2
5.639.324.330.7
6.331.927.334.5
1/ INCLUOES OISCHARGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
TARLE 9. AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR PATIENTS OISCHARGEO FROM SHORT–STAY }IOSPITALS BY COLOR, AGE,ANO SEX: UNITEO STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM PIONFEOERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUOES NEWBflRN INFANTS)
1/ fNCLUOES OISCHLIRGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
25
TABLE 10. NUMBER AND PERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF OAYS OF CARE FOR PATIENTS DISCHARGE FROM SHOPT-STAYHOSPITALS BY GEOGRAPHIC REGION ANO AGE, ACCORDING TO SEX: UNITEO STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUOES NEWBORN INFANTS)
aE@lzNUMBER OF DAYS OF CARE
FEMALEINCLUO-
1/ BOTH MALE I NGSEXES DELIV-
ERIES
FEMALEEXCLUO-
INGDELIV-ERIES
REGION ANO AGE
PERCENT DISTRIBUTIONUNITED STATES
ALL AGES . . . . . . . .
IN THOUSANOS ,
97,7231 132,906 119,374231,017 100.0 100.0
10.824.431.333.5
100.0
100.0
6.23b.425.332.2
100.0
100.0
6.829.22B.135.8
100.0
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . .
NORTHEAST
ALL AGES . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER . . . .
NORTH CENTRAL
ALL AGES . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER . . . .
SOUTH
ALL AGES . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . .
~
ALL AGES . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER . . . .
18,77372,35964,30475,581
62,293
10,56523,86630,59532,696
26,546
8,18348,33933,60642,778
35,56B
8,13034,88733,58042,778
31,882
8.131.327.832.7
100.0
4,45018,41718,26421,152
73,449
2,4936,0128,9289,113
30,370
1,94912,332
9,29111,996
42,973
1,9388,6649,285
11,996
38,401
7.129.629.334.0
100.0
9.422.633.634.3
100.0
5.534.726.133.7
100.0
6.127.229.137.6
100.0
6,39622,93020,47723,646
67,930
3,6447,3159,4989,913
28,674
2,74315,57210,95113,706
39,172
2,60814,801
9,46512,297
15,193
2,72711,02510,94313,706
35,546
2,58611,208
9,45412,297
13,545
8.731.227.932.2
100.0
12.024.131.332.6
100.0
6.436.225.531.9
100.0
2::+2B.535.7
100.0
6.737.824.231.4
5,97222,11517,86421,979
27,355
3,3587,2919,3819,645
12,132
8.832.626.332.4
100.0
11.725.429.233.6
100.0
7.331.526.634.6
100.000.0
1,954B ;8977,6998,804
1,0723,2493,7884,025
8825,6333,8994,779
8793,9893,8984,779
7.132.528.132.2
8.826.831.233.2
5.837.125.731.5
6.529.528.835.3
1/ INCLUDES DISCHARGE DATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATED.
26
TABLE 11. AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR PATIENTS OISCHARGEO FROM SHORT–STAY HOSPIT4LS BY GEOGRAPHICREGION, AGE, AND SEX: UNITED STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT–STAY IiOSPITALS. EXCLUOES tMEW90RN INFANTSI
1/ INCLUDES OISCHARGE DATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
27
TABLE 12. NUMBER AND PERCENT DISTRIFJUTION CIF DAYS OF CARE FOR PATIENTS DISCHARGED FKOM SHIIRT-2TAYHOSPITALS BY BED SIZE OF HOSPITAL ANO AGE OF PATIENT, ACCORDING TO SEX: UNITEFI STATES, 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUDES NEWBORN INFANTSI
T1/ BOTH MALESEXES m
~ERCENT DISTRIBUTION
FEMALEINCLUO-
1 NGDELIV-ERIES
FEMALEEXCLUO–
INGOELIV–ERI ES
BEO SIZEOF HOSPITAL
ANO AGE
NUMBER OF IJAYS OF CAREALL SIZES
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15–44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
6-99 BEOS
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
100-199 BEOS
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 Years . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
200-299 BEOS
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS AND OVER . . . . .
300-499 BEDS
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS ...........65 YEARS ANO OVER .....
500 BEOS OR MORE
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
IN THOUSANOS
97,723 132,906 119,374 100.0 100.0 100.0
6.236.425.332.2
100.0
100.0231,017
18,77372,35964,30475,581
37,792
2,9589,7228,542
16,570
44,274
10,5b5
.23,86630,59532,696
8,18348,33933,60642,778
22,564
8,13334,88733,58042,778
20,486
B.131.327.832.7
100.0
1’).824.431.333.5
100.0
6.829.228.135.8
100.015,174
1,7162,8263,7426,890
1,2366,8824,7865’,660
26,062
1,2314,8124,7839,660
23,348
7.825.722.643.8
100.0
11.318.624.745.4
100.0
5.530.521.242.8
100.0
6.534.623.435.5
100.0
6.023.523.3+7.2
18,142 100.0
7.227.12tt.139.6
3,65612,77711,64216,198
47,775
3,35112,55412,05012,820
58,165
1,9583,7295,5236,932
1,6959,0296,0959,242
23,872
1,6826,3336,0899,242
21,346
8.328.92b.3
36.6
100.0
10.820.630.438.2
100.016,822 100.0
1,860
3,9175,6185,427
1,4898,6056,4067,373
32,889
1,81012,368
8,9359,775
27,519
1,4836,0856,+047,373
29,638
1,7989,1388,9289,775
24,556
8.230.829.631.4
100.0
11.123.333.432.3
100.0
6.236.026.830.9
100.0
5.537.627.229.7
100.0
6.928.530.034.5
25,136
2,4416,6918;3177,688
100.0
7.332.929.730.1
100.0
9.726.633.130.6
100.0
6.130.830.133.0
4,25919,12817,28417,494
50,012
4,55018,17914,78512,498
22,449 100.0
2,5916,7Ll47,3955,760
1,95311,4557,3846,727
1,9358,5187,3766,727
9.136.329.625.0
11.529.932.925.7
7.141.626.824.4
7.934.730.027.4
1/ INCLUOES OISCHARGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
28
TA13LE 13. AVERAGE LENGTH Of STAY FUk PATIENTS DISCHARGED FPUM SHUPT-STAY HOSPITALS BY BED SIZECF HOSPITAL, AGE UF PATIENT, AND SEX: uNITED STATES, 1971
1/ INCLUOES DISCHARGE CATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATED.
29
TABLE 14. NUMbER AND FERCENT DISTRIBUTION OF DAYS GF CARE FOR PATIENTS OISC.HA~GEO FFOM SHaPT-STAYHOSPITALS BY TYPE OF OWNERSHIP CF HUSPITAL ANO AGE OF PATIENT, ACCORDING TO SEX: I!NITEO STATES,1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY HOS~ITALS. EXCLU17FS NFWBOQN INFANTS)
-—
1/ BOTHSEXES EMALE
FEMALEINCLUO-
1 NGOELIV-EF?IES
FEMALEEXCLUO-
INGOELIV-ER IES
FEMALEINCLUD–
lNGUELIV-EPIES
FEMALEEXCLUi3-
IIJGDELIV-ERIE5
TYPE OFOWNERSHIP ANO
AGE1/ BOTH MALE
SEXES
PERCENT DISTRIBUTIONNUMBE.R OF DAYS OF GAPEALL TYPES
ALL ”AGES . . . . . . . . .
IN THOUSANOS
231,017
18,77372,35964,30475,581
173,457
97,723 132,906 119,374
‘1 &27.8 31.332.7 33.5
100.0 100.0
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .1>~44 YE.4RS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS. . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
VOLUNTARY NUNPROFIT
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNDER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .L5-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
GOVERNMENT
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
PROPRIETARY
ALL AGES . . . . . . . . .
UNOER 15 YEARS . . . . . . . .15-44 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .45–64 YEARS . . . . . . . . . . .65 YEARS ANO OVER . . . . .
10,56523,B6630,59532,696
72,715
8,18348,33933,60642,778
100,43Q
8,13034,88733,58042,778
90,441
6.236.425.332.2
100.0
6.829.22E’.135.8
lon.o100.0 I l(JO.O
17.B lo.q
30.6 23.528.7 32.532.9 33.7
100.0 100.0
9.4 12.733.9 27.625.4 27.931.2 31.8
100.0 100.0
6.7 9.230.0 23.624.8 28.038.5 39.2
13,57153,16249971157,013
49,024
7,51417,09623,60624,499
21,597
6,03935,93326,02432,435
27,366
6,00425,9S’726,00632,435
24,262
6.035.825.932.3
100.0
6.628.728.I335.9
100.0
4,62916,63812,47515,283
8,535
2,7375,9676,0346,860
3,411
1,88710,651
6,4278,400
5,109
1,8707,5736,4198,400
4,671
6.938.923.530.7
100.0
7.731.226.534.6
100.0
5722,5592,1183,285
315804954
1,338
2561*7551*1551,943
2561,3171,1551,943
5.034.322.638.0
5.528.224.741.6
1/ INCLUOES OISCHARGE OATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
30
TA13LE 15. AVERAGE LEhGTH OF STAY FOR PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROi4 SHORT–STAY HOSPITALS BY TYPE OF
OWNERSHIP OF HOSPITAL. AGE OF PATIENT. ANO SEX: UNITEO STATES, 1971
(OISCHARSES FROM NONFEDERAL SHOkT–STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUOES NEWBORN INFANTS)
1/ INCLUDES DISCHARGE OATA FOR Wi-iICH SEX WAS NOT STATED.
31
TABLE 16. AVERAGE LENGTH OF STAY FOR PATIENTS DISCHARGED FROM SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS BY SEX, AGE,GEOGRAPHIC REGION. AND BEO SIZE OF HOSPITAL: UNITEO STATES. 1971
(DISCHARGES FROM NONFEDERAL SHORT-STAY HOSPITALS. EXCLUDES NEWBORN INFANTS)
UNDER 15 YEARS...15-44 YEARS . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . .65+ YEARS ........
4.76.99.5
12.1
7.5
4.24.76.?
11.0
7.4
3.74.87.1
10.8
7.1
4.56.79.7
12.6
7.7
4.56.99.011.C
7.2
6.48.2
10.812.5
7.7
5.810.59.812.3
7.4
11.1 6.413.4 9.8
8.4 6.6
IFE MALE INCLUO-ING DELIVERIES
8.4 9.4ALL AGES . . . .
5.0 7.95.5 6.2
10.B 12.5
UNOER 15 YEARS...15-44 YEARS......45–64 YEARS ......65+ YEARS ........
4.65.39.313.0
8.3
4.66.09.413.0
3.54.58.3
13.0
8.0
3.54.68.3
13.0
3.94.7“7.312.5
7.7
4.25.69.813.9
8.5
5.9 4.16.3 4.410.8 7.4
4.45.59.112.1
8.0
6.46.09.7iZ.4
8.8
2.4 4.13.3 4.3
5.15.79.8
12.3
8.315.4 7.89.6 11.0
5.1 6.9-L15.7 19.8
9.3 10.5 -1-13.9 10.4
9.3 7.1
FEMALE EXCLUO-ING DELIVERIES
ALL AGES....
UNOER 15 YEARS...15-44 YEARS . . . . . .45-64 YEARS . . . . . .65+ YEARS . . . . . . . .
4.9 8.06.1 6.810.8 12.615.7 19.8
3.95.17.312.5
4.26.29.813.9 1
5.9 4.17.4 4.910.8 7.413.9 10.4
4.46.49.1
12.1
6.57.39.712.4 --L
2.4 4.13.3 5.05.4 7.B9.6 11.0
5.26.79.812.3
1/ INCLUOES DISCHARGE DATA FOR WHICH SEX WAS NOT STATEO.
32
TECHNICAL
Statistical Design of the
Hospital Discharge Survey
APPENDIX I
NOTES ON METHODS
Scope of the survey. —The scope of the HospitalDjscharge Survey (HDS) encompasses patients dis-
charged from noninstitutional hospitals which have sixbeds cm more for inpatient use, are located in the 50States and the District of Columbia, and have an aver-age length of stay of less than 30 days. Although all
discharges of inpatients from these hospitals are withinthe scope of the survey, all newborn infants are exciudedfrom this report.
Somplingjia?ne and size oj’hospital.- The universe(sampling frame) for the Hospitai Discharge Survey
~Lln~ists of the short-stay hospitals excluding militaryand Veterans Administration hospitals, which are in-cluded in the Master Facility Inventory of Hospitals andInstitutions (MFI). A detailed description of how theMFIWLISdeveloped, its content, plans for maintaining it, andprocedures for assessing the compl,et~ess of its cover-
age is published in an earlier report.There were 6,965 hospitals in the universe. The
distribution of short-stay hospitals by bed size andregion in the universe and in the HDS sample is shownin table I. The sample for 1971 consisted of 465 hos-
pitals, of which 26 were ruled out of scope of the surveybecause they failed to meet the definition of a short-stay hospital and 60 refused to participate. Estimatesare based on 198,223 abstracts received from the re-maining 379 hospitals that participated during 1971.
Sample design. —All hospitals with 1,000 beds or
more in the universe of short-stay hospitals were se-lected with certainty in the sample. All hospitals withfewer than 1,000 beds were stratified, the primarystrata being the 24 size-by-region classes shown intable I. Within each of these 24 primary strata, theallocation of the hospitals was made through a controlledselection technique so that hospitals in the sample would
be properly distributed with regard to ownership andgeographic division. Sample hospitals were drawn withprobabilities ranging from certainty for the largesthospitals to 1 in 40 for the smallest hospitals.
1 The within-hospital sampling ratio for selectingdischarges varied inversely with the probability of se-
NOrE: The list of references follows the text.
lection of the hospital. The smallest sampling fractionof discharged patients was taken in the largest hos -pitals, and the largest fraction was taken in the smallesthospitals. This was done to compensate for the fact thathospitals were selected with probabilities proportionateto their size class and to assure that the overall prob-ability of selecting a discharge would be approximatelythe same in all hospitals.
In all hospitals the daily listing sheet of discharges
was the frame from which the subsamples of dischargeswere selected within the sample hospitals. The sampledischarges were selected by a random technique, usuallyon the basis of the terminal digit(s) of the patient’s med-ical record number—a number assigned when the patientwas admitted to the hospital. If the hospital’s daily dis-charge listing did not show the medical record numbers,the. sample was selected by starting with a randomly
selected discharge and taking every Kth discharge there-after.
Estimation. — Statistics produced by the HDS are
derived by a complex procedure. The basic un;t of esti-ma~ion is the sample patient abstract. The estimatingprocedure used to produce essentially unbiased nationalestimates has three principal components: (1) inflationof reciprocals of the probabilities of sample selection,(2) adjustment for nonresponse, and(3) ratio adjustmentsto fixed totals. These components are described inappendix I of two earlier publications. 1, ~
Data collection. —Depending on the study procedureagreed on with the hospital administrator, the sample
selection and the transcription of information from the
hospital records to the abstract forms were performedeither by the hospital staff or by representatives of the
National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) or by both.
In more than three-fourths of the hospitals that partici-pated in the HDS during 1971, this work was periormedby the medical records department of the hospital. Inthe remaining hospitals, nearly all the work was per-
formed by perscmnel of the U.S. Bureau of the Censusacting for NCHS.
Nearly all survey hospitals transcribed data fromhospital records to the form shown in figure I.
Data processing and editing of daikz.-Shipmentsof completed abstract forms for each sample hospitalwere transmitted along with sample selection controlsheets to NCHS for processing. Every shipment of
33
Table 1, Distributionof short-stay hospitals in the universe (MFI), in the Hospital DischargeSurvey sample, and participatingin the survey, by bed size of hospital and geographicregion:United States, 1971
Finaleditingwas done by computerinspectionofthedemographicdatacomparedwiththecategorycodeassignedeach abstract.Ifthepatient’ssex was leftblank,itwas codedandtabulatedas“notstated,’’exceptinthosecasesknowntobedeliveries.
Very few rejectswere encountered;thosefound
Northeast NorthCentral
South West
Number of hospitals
1,107123108
19975
288
;;
2772423
1822927
no2419
421815
999
1,979139121
4421817
3783026
1512421
1292925
461816
3
2,620135102
1,4382311
5872420
3322924
.1341812
;:21
28129
555
1,2596848
6461:
306129
157127
85128
1377
were correctedby inspectionof dataonthecornpmcrtape.Ifagewas leftblank,itwas imputedbyassigningthe patientan age consistentwiththeages ofotherpatientswiththesame categorycode.Ifthedatesofadrnissionordischargewerenotgivenandiftheycouldnot be obtained from the monthly sample listing sheettransmitted by the sample hospital, a length of stay wasimputed by assigning the patient a stay consistent withthe stays of other patients of the same age. Other
34
HSN-SS- 19/70
F.ami ApprovedO.M.B. No. 6J-l@5Z0
CONFIDENTIAL - AU in fonnasion which would p.rmir identification of an individual or of an esmbl,shme.t wdl be held con fid.nt,.1, wdl be used
only bj pccsmsengaged in and for the purposes of tbe surv.y and will nor be disclosed m relrascd to other persons or used for any ocher pwpose.
DEPARTMEr4T OF HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND WELFAREPublic Heolth Service
Hemhh Services and Mentol Health Administration
Nationol Center for He.alth Statistics
MEDICAL ABSTRACT - HOSPITAL DISCHARGE SURVEY
L Patient Identification
1. Hospital rrumber. . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Date of admission
4. Race or colon I Owhite 2 ❑ Negro 3 ❑ O!her nonwhite 4 ❑ “’Nonwhite” 5 ~ Not stated
5. Marital status: In Married 2 ❑ Single 3 ❑ Widowed 4D Divorc&d 5 ~ Separated 6 n Not sc+ted
6. Discharge status: I ❑ Alive 2 ❑ Dead
II 1. Diagnoses and Operations
1. Final diagnoses
❑ sss reverse side
2. Operations:
❑ see reverse side
Completed by Date
FOR NCHS USE ONLY
Diagnoses
Operations
CWl ,“,, <, 4:,>,.,40
Figure 1. Medical abstract for the Hospital Discharge Survey,
35
Table II. Civilian noni.mstitutional populationby age and sex: United States, July 1, 1971
[Consistent with Current Poulation Reports, Series P-25, No..49O]
missing demographic items were coded and tol,ul~([cdas not stated.
Population Estimates
The base populations used in computing rates arcunpublished estimates for the U.S. civilian, noninstitu-
tionalized population as of Julyl,1971,providedbythtiU.S.BureauoftheCensus.
The populationestimatesfortheUnitedStatusbyage andsex(table11)andbyageandgeographicregion(tableHI)areconsistentwiththeestimatesofthecivilian
populationpublishedby theU.S.BureauoftheCensusin Current Population Reports, Series P-25. However,they are not official population estimates of the LloSaBureau of the Census. Estimates of the regional popu-lations by age and sex were provided by the U.S. J3u-reau of the Census specifically for use in the HDS forcomputing rates.
Roxnding ofnumbem.--Estimates of the numberofdischarges and number ofdays of care wereroundcd tothe nearest thousand for tabular presentation. Percents
7,239
Table III. Civili.mnoninstitutionalpopulationby geographicregion,sex,and age: United States,July 1, 1971
All regions Northeast NorthCentral South WestSex and age
Total
All ages--------------------
In thousands
202,090 48,818 56,310 62,376 34,586
Under 65 years-------------------Under 15 years-----------------15-44 years--------------------45-64 years--------------------
65 years and over----------------
Male
182,51157,36883,25241,89119,579
43,78713,21619.708
50,78316,26723,07611,44.05,527
27,358
25,0248,29611,2375,4912,334
28,952
25,7597,97111,8395,9493,193
56,38517,98425,79512,6065,991
31,5559,90014,6736,9823,030
10;8635,031
All ages ---------------------- 97,330 23,400 29.818 16,754
15,4645,0427,0413,3811,290
Under 65 years-------------------Under 15 years-----------------15-44 years--------------------45-64 years--------------------
65 years and over----------------
Female
All ages----------------------
89,13129,22739,99219,9128,199
21,3416,7449,4865,ill2,059
27,3029,145
12.2285;9292,516
104,760 25,418 32,558 17,832
Under 65 years-------------------Under 15 years-----------------15-44 years--------------------45-64 years--------------------
65 years and over----------------
36
93,37928,14143,25921,97911,380
22,4466,472
10,2225,7522,972
29,0838,839
13,5676,6773,475
16,0914,8587,6323,6011,741
and rates were calculatedon the basis of unrounded
estimates.Due to rounding, detailed figures within
tuldes da not always add to totals.Patient cluwactevistics rat stated.- Age and/or sex
was not stated for less than 1 percent of all discharges.Hcwever, color was not stated for approximately 12percent of the patients discharged. The proportion ofsample hospital records with color not stated variedconsiderably among the sample hospitals.
Reliability of Estimates
Estimates from sample surveys such as the HospitalDischarge Survey are subject to two types of errors—measurement or nonsampling errors and samplingerrors. Measurement errors can occur in a com-
plete count or census as well as in a sample survey.Sampling errors, on the other hand, occur because
a somple instead of a complete count is taken.Measurement ewovs. —Measurement errors in-
clude those due to hospital nonresponse, missing ab-st racts, information incompletely or inaccurately re-corded on abstract forms, and processing errors. Someof these have been discussed in earlier sections.
Sampling ewors. --The standard error in this sur-
vey is primarily a measure of the sampling variabilitythat occurs by chance because the estimates are based
Table IV. Approxtiate standard errors of per-centages shown in this report for discharges:patient characteristics classified by geo-graphic region and for all hospitals
lStm&rrd errors for patient characteristics classified by size of hospitat,Irc l)i times and by type nf ownership are 3% times the standardivl<m shown in this table]
I Illustration of use of table IV. Table 1shows that 28.5 percent of the 9,011,000 whitenmle patients discharged during 1971 from allhospitals were aged 45-64 years. Linear inter-polation between the values shown in table IV&ill yield an approximate standard err&”of”O.5
Ipercent for an estimate of 28.5 percent with abase of 9,011,000.
on subsamples of discharges within a sample of short-
stay hospitals rather than on all discharges from all
short-stay hospitals. The reIative standard error ofan estimate is obtained by dividing the standard errorof the estimate by the estimate itself and is expressedas a percentage of the estimate.
The chances areabout68 out of 100 that the valueobtained in a complete enumeration is contained in theinterval represented by the estimate plus and minusone standard error of the estimate; 95 out of 100 fortwo standard errors; and990ut oflOO for 2% standarderrors. Applying the illustrational the bottom offigureH, the chances are about 68 out of 100 that the valuethat would be obtained in a complete enumeration iscontained in the interval 3,887,000 + 5.1 percent of
3,887,000 (between 3,688,163 and 4,085,237 );990utof100 for the interval 3,887,000 + 5.1 percent of 3,887,000multiplied by 2.5.
The standard error of one statistic is generallydifferent from that of another even when the two comefrom the same survey. In order to derive standarderrors that would be applicable to a wide variety ofstatistics and that could be prepared at a moderatecost, a number of approximations were required. As a
result, figure 11 and tables IV and V provide general
Table V. Approximate standard errors of per-centages shown in this report for days ofcare: patient characteristics classified bygeographic region and for all hospitals
[Standarderrorsforpatientcharacteristicsclassified by size of hospitalare 11/2 times and by type of ownership are 21/2 times the standarderrors shown in thk table]
Illustration of use of table V: Table 12shows that of the 22.449.CIOOdavs of care Dro-vided for males discharged d&ing 1971 &omhospitals with 500 beds ormore 25.7 percent ofthe days were utilized~ patients 65 years andover. Linear interpolation between the valuesshown intableV will yield anapproximate stand-ard errorof 1.9 percent for an estimate of25.7percent with a base of 22,449,000.
3?
Figur’e II. Approximate relative standard errors of estimatd number of patients discharged for patient character%tics, by geographic region, and/orsize of hospital, and type of ownership and for all hospitals.
aoaaUJ
SIZE OF ESTIMATES IN THOUSANDS
Illustration of use offigwe 11: As shown in table 2 an estimated 3,887,000 patients aged 1544 years were discharged during 1971 within the SouthRegion. The relativestandard error of this estimate as read from the line “Region and/or size groups” is approximately 5.1 percent: the atandmd error of 3,887,000 is 198,237 (5.1 percent of 3,887,000).
standard erors for a wide variety of estimates ratherthan the specific error for any statistic.
The relative standard errors and approximatestandard errors of percentages that have been preparedfor this report are applicableto estimates of dischargesfor patient characteristics (age, sex, color, and dis-charge status, and cross- classifications, e.g., age bysex) cross-classified by one of three hospital groupingsas follows: (1) by region (e.g., Northeast) and/or size(e.g., 6-99 beds), (2) by type of ownership (e.g., govern-ment), or (3) by hospitals summed over all regions, sizeand ownership groups (all hospitals). The particularfigure or table to which one refers to obtain a samplingerror is contingent upon both the type of estimate (e.g.,discharges) and the hospital grouping with which the pa-tient characteristic(s) is cross-classified. The proce-dures that apply are as follows:
1. Approximate relative standard errors of esti-mated number of discharges are obtained fromthe curves shown on figure II.
2. Approximate relative standard errors of numberof days of care are obtained from the curvesshown in figure III.
3. Approximate standard errors of estimated pc r-centages of discharges when the character-istic(s) used to form the numerator of the per-centage is a subclass of the denominator arc”shown in table IV.
4. Approximate standard errors of estimated psi=centages of days of care when the charac-teristic(s) used to form the numerator is asubclass of tbe denominator are shown in table V.
Fiaure I I 1. Armroximate relative standard errors of estimated number of davs of care for patient characteristics, by geographic region and/or size of. . .hospital, and type of ownership and for all hospitals.
i i 1, 1 I 1 1 I 1 I I I 1 k!-i-*L-+-L–!––i––W–W–– T–+–--I-P+++I+H-H
‘ItkEL i i i i i--i-.i_i_l-i--.i i i i i. i-i-i-~ii..-.i....i-.i.[~i...i.i li.i.i. ~‘*i. i i i i i i .i tl.iii. i.i.iiil
I !! I I Ill!! :J._..Q; ! ! !11
2
.;
:;,6
.5
.4
.3
.2
I ( Ill I 11111 Il,li I I IllljI I I I
I I [ I I 1 I I 1 1 1 8,; ! I ! 1 I I I I I
“’~ A A100 1,003 10%O loo% 300%
SIZE OF ESTIMATE IN THOUSANDS
Ikttistion ofusc o~fl~tm 111: As shown in table 14, en estimated 2,559,000 days of care during 1971 were provided to patients aged 15-44 years inproprietary hospitals. The relative standa@ error of this estimate as read from the line “Ownership groups” is approximately 22.0 percent: the stand-ard error is 562,980 (22.0 percent of 2,559,000).
Approximate standard errors of average lengthsof stay can be calculated as in the following example:
Suppose the standard error (OR,) of the averagelength of stay during 1971 for males aged 15-44 yearsfor all hospitals is desired. The estimated number ofdischarges for this statistic is 3,467,000 (table 1) andthe estimated number of days of care is 23,866,000
(table 10).
LetNumber of days of care
R’=Number of discharge
.s ‘ 23,866,000.-—=
},,
3,467,000= 6.9 days
The relative standard error (vx,) of 23,866,000 (fromall hospitals curve in figure 111)m 2.9 percent, or .029
Vx$y .029)! The reIative standard error (vY,) of3.467,000 (from all hospitals curve in figure 11) is3.2 percent, or .032; v = (.0s2 )? The sampleY’correlation coefficierit (r) which measures the close-ness of the relation between the estimated number ofdays of care and the estimated number of ciischarges has
been computed to be 0.75.
VR<2=Vx?+ vy.~—2rvx. Vy,
= ( .029~ + (.032~ – 1.5 (.029 X .032}
= .00084 + .00102 – .00139 ~ .00047
vRt = 4.00047 = .022
crR, = R’x V~. = 6.9 x .022 = 0.15 days
39
DEFINITIONS
Terms Relating to Hospitalization
APPENDIX II
OF CERTAIN TERMS USED IN THIS REPORT
of patients discharged. “Average stay, ” “duration ofstay,” and “length of stay” are used interchangeably.
Patient. —A person who is formally admitted tothe inpatient service of a short-stay hospital for ob-servation, care, diagnosis, or treatment. In this re-port the number of patients refers to the number ofdischarges during 1971 including any multiple dis-charges of the same individual from one short-stayhospital or more. All newborn infants, defined as thoseadmitted by birth to the hospital, are excluded fromthis report. “Inpatient” and “patient” are used synony-mously.
Patient under 1 yea~ of age. — Includes infantsadmitted on the day of birth, directly or by transferfrom another medical facility, with or without mentionof a disease, disorder, or immaturity.
Discharge. — The formal release of an inpatient bya hospital, that is, the termination of a period of hos-pitalization by death or by disposition to place of resi-dence, nursing home, or another hospital. In this re-port, “discharges” and “patients (or inpatients) dis-charged” are used synonymously.
Discha?’ge Yate. --The ratio of the number of hos-pital discharges during a year to the number of personsin the civilian, noninstitutionalized population July 1of that year.
Days of ca?’e.—The total number of inpatient daysaccumulated at time of discharge by patients dischargedfrom short-stay hospitals during a year. A stay of lessthan 1 day (inpatient admission and discharge on thesame day) is counted as 1 day in the summation oftotal days of care. For patients admitted and dischargedon different days, the number of days of care is com-puted by counting all days from (and including) the dateof admission to (but not including) the date of discharge.
Rate of days of care. —The ratio of the number ofinpatient days accumulated at time of discharge bypatients discharged from short-stay hospitals duringa year to the number of persons in the civilian, non-instituticmalized population July 1 of that year.
Average length of stay. —The total number of in-patient days acc~mulated at time of discharge bypatients discharged during 1971 divided by the number
Hospitals and Hospital Characteristics
Short-stay hospitals.— General and short-termspecial hospitals having six beds or more for inpatieatuse and an average (mean) length of stay of less than30 days. Federal hospitals and hospital units of in-stitutions are not included. “Hospitals” and “short-stay hospitals” are used synonymously.
Size of hospital. —Measured by the number of beds,cribs, and pediatric bassinets regularly maintained(set up and staffed for use) for inpatients; bassinetsfor cewlmrn infants are not included. In this report theclassification of hospitals by bed size is based on thenumber of beds at or near midyear reported by thehospitals.
Location cf hospikzls. —See “Geographic region.”Type of ownership of hospital. — Refers to the type
of organization that controls and operates the hospital.The hospitals are grouped as follows:
Voltmtwy hospitals. —Hospitals operated by achurch or another nonprofit organization.Government hospitals. --Hospitals operated by Stateor local governments.Propietwy hospitals.— Hospitals controlled by in-dividuals, partnerships, or corporations for profit.
Demographic Terms
Age. -- Refers to age at birthday prior to admis-sion to the hospital inpatienr service.
Colov. —In this report patients are classified intotwo groups, “white” and “all other. ” The all other clas-sification includes all categories other than white; somegroups are too small to be presented separately forstatistical purposes. White includes Mexican and PuertoRican unless specifically identified as all other.
Geographic re~”on. — In this report hospitals areclassified by location according to the four geographicregions of the United States which correspond to thoseused by the U.S. Bureau of the Census.
40
Region States Included
Northeast ------- Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont,Massachusetts, Rhode Island,Connecticut, New York, New Jerseyand Pennsylvania
North Central ---Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana,Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa,Missouri, North Dakota, SouthDakota, Nebraska, and Kansas
South ----------- Delaware, Maryland, Districtof Columbia, Virginia, west
Virginia, North Carolina,South Carolina, Georgia, Florida,Kentucky, Temessee, Alabama,Mississippi, Arkansas,Louisianal Oklahoma, and Texas
West ----------- Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado,New Mexico, Arizona, [Jtah,Nevada, Washington, Oregon,California, Hawaii, and Alaska
000
41
VITAL AND HEALTH STATISTICS PUBLICATION SERIES
Ori<qittitllyPublic Hetzhh Service Pu blic~tion No. 1000
fk’virs 1. ~>.o~~.am,~ad c~ll~ctfon p~ocedt~ves. — Reports which describe the general programs of the NationalCenter for Health Statistics and its offices and divisions, data collection methods used, definitions,and other material necessary for understanding the data.
Swim 2. LMia ctuha tiort and m etltods reseaMz. — Studies of new statistical methodolog~r includhg: experi -rucnt.d tests of new survey methods, studies of vital statistics collection methods, new analyticaltechniques, objective evaluations of reliability of collected data, contributions to statistical theory.
Si ‘~ies 3. Arw 1vl[cczl s ti(dtes. —Reports presenting analytical or interpretive studies based on vital and healthstatlsttcs, carrying the analysis further than the expository types of reports in the oth~i series.
Swim; ,1. Dmxtft m i’s and committee wfioyts, — Final reports of major com rnittees concerned with vital andlw+kh sm+tistics, and documents such as recommended model vital registration laws and revisedhi rth .~nd death certificates.
Striim: 10. I’.I to.fmm the Health .lnteniew Swvev. —Statistics on illness, accidental injuries, disability, useof hospital, medical, dental, and other services, and other health-related topics, based on datarol [ectecl in a continuing national household interview survey.
St~j.ff.,:;j], Do la Jiwm llw Health Examination SW-WY. —Data from direct examination, testing, and meaatre-nwm of n:aticmal samples of the civilian, noninstitutional population provide the basis for two typesot’ reports: (1) estimates of the medically defined prevalence of specific diseases in the UnitedSt.ltcs and the distributions of the population with respect to physical, physiological. and psycho-lo2ic,.1~c}laiacteristics; and (2) analysis of relationships among the various measurements v:ithoutreic t-encc to an explicit finite universe of persons.
St-i+,‘s 12. POh .hwm tks Insiitwtional R@htion SWveys —Statistics relating to the health characteristics ofp~rscmz in institutions, .md their medical, nursing, and personal care received, based on nation:al~~nlples of establishments providing these services and samples of the residents or patients.
S!~i(~s 13. I?a10from thk~Hospitul Discltavgw Suwey. –Statistics relating tfi dixiiarged patients in short-stayhosptmls, based on a sample of patient records in a national sample of hospitals.
S, ?-i,?:;J.?. Pa la m? hualth F-esou?w?s: manpou,e%-and facilities. —Statistics on the numbers, geo~raphic dismi-Mtkn, and characteristics of health resources including physicians, dentisw, nurses, other kdthOCCUpatiOnS, hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient facilities,
S(.vi[.,:; 20. Data on mo?”tallty. —Various statistics on mortality other than as included in regukr annual ormontnly reports— special analyses by cause of death, age, and other demo~aphic ~~ariables, alsogeo~aphic and time series analyses.
S<*/ii*:;21, Dati on natality, marmage, and divo~”ce. —Various statistics on natality, marriage, and divorceother than as included in regular annual or monthly reports—special analyses by demographicvariables, also geographic and time series analyses, studies of fertility.
S,.piw 22. Data fiorr the Ah tional Natality aria’Mortality Swveys. — Statistics on characteristics of birthsand deaths not available from the vital records, based on sample surveys stemming from theserecords, including such topics as mortality by socioeconomic class, hospital experience in thelast year of life, medical care during pregnancy, health insurance coverage, etc.
For u list of titles of reports published in these series, write to: Office uf In fumlat[on
