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Table 3 Aggregated practice characteristicsa London and Middlesex County, Ontario family physicians before and during COVID-19 pandemic (Column %)

From: Virtual family physician care during COVID-19: a mixed methods study using health administrative data and qualitative interviews

Practice Characteristicsa

Pre-Pandemicb

Early 1st Waveb

Mid-Late 1st Waveb

Early 2nd Waveb

Compared to Pre-pandemic p-valuec

N = 549

N = 515

N = 520

N = 500

Early 1st Waveb

Mid-Late 1st Waveb

Early 2nd Waveb

Age

 % < 65 years, mean ± SD

74.34 ± 15.32

70.41 ± 16.76

70.97 ± 16.45

67.89 ± 18.09

<.001

<.001

<.001

 % > = 65 years, mean ± SD

25.66 ± 15.32

29.59 ± 16.76

29.03 ± 16.45

32.11 ± 18.09

<.001

<.001

<.001

Sex

 % Female, mean ± SD

57.78 ± 9.67

58.83 ± 11.76

59.18 ± 11.46

60.37 ± 11.99

0.11

0.031

<.001

 % Male, mean ± SD

42.19 ± 9.67

40.80 ± 11.88

40.80 ± 11.45

39.60 ± 11.99

0.036

0.032

<.001

 % Missing, mean ± SD

0.04 ± 0.04

0.37 ± 2.35

0.02 ± 0.09

0.03 ± 0.17

<.001

0.011

0.446

% Income quintile, mean ± SD

 1-lowest income

18.91 ± 7.62

20.77 ± 8.98

20.34 ± 8.74

19.89 ± 9.24

<.001

0.004

0.06

 2

18.77 ± 5.10

20.01 ± 6.37

19.22 ± 5.66

19.49 ± 7.13

<.001

0.169

0.057

 3

18.27 ± 4.19

18.73 ± 5.78

18.68 ± 4.90

18.33 ± 5.47

0.14

0.144

0.841

 4

20.82 ± 6.00

20.66 ± 7.65

21.30 ± 7.55

21.00 ± 7.20

0.703

0.253

0.655

 5-highest income

20.20 ± 9.07

18.62 ± 10.19

19.66 ± 9.42

20.43 ± 10.39

0.008

0.343

0.702

 Missing

3.04 ± 7.04

1.22 ± 2.70

0.81 ± 1.17

0.85 ± 1.49

<.001

<.001

<.001

% Material deprivation, mean ± SD

 1-least deprived

26.08 ± 10.28

25.10 ± 11.20

26.09 ± 11.08

26.50 ± 11.71

0.133

0.999

0.541

 2

18.58 ± 4.58

18.54 ± 6.56

18.73 ± 5.71

18.89 ± 6.13

0.895

0.639

0.354

 3

13.14 ± 3.72

13.32 ± 5.04

13.31 ± 4.38

13.35 ± 4.98

0.497

0.5

0.441

 4

16.99 ± 4.47

18.00 ± 5.95

17.97 ± 5.38

17.64 ± 6.72

0.002

0.001

0.062

 5-most deprived

21.26 ± 9.57

22.85 ± 10.92

22.19 ± 10.36

21.90 ± 11.01

0.012

0.128

0.321

% Multimorbidity, mean ± SD

33.38 ± 17.02

40.66 ± 16.62

36.78 ± 15.84

38.11 ± 15.85

<.001

<.001

<.001

% Chronic Conditions, mean ± SD

 Arthritis

12.47 ± 6.20

14.33 ± 7.13

13.98 ± 7.97

14.66 ± 7.48

<.001

<.001

<.001

 Cancer

6.36 ± 11.76

6.41 ± 9.52

6.05 ± 8.83

5.83 ± 7.20

0.936

0.625

0.385

 Congestive heart failure

4.75 ± 5.50

5.36 ± 4.86

4.58 ± 4.41

4.80 ± 4.43

0.055

0.584

0.863

 COPDd

10.95 ± 6.72

13.01 ± 7.14

12.05 ± 6.95

12.28 ± 6.86

<.001

0.008

0.001

 Cardiovascular disease

6.73 ± 6.65

6.94 ± 5.14

6.49 ± 6.40

6.46 ± 6.36

0.566

0.551

0.508

 Dementia

3.76 ± 7.90

4.62 ± 9.28

3.58 ± 7.84

3.97 ± 8.16

0.105

0.706

0.682

 Diabetes

14.89 ± 9.22

18.97 ± 9.70

16.96 ± 9.10

17.45 ± 9.26

<.001

<.001

<.001

 HIV

9.28 ± 8.24

10.70 ± 7.40

9.20 ± 6.91

9.32 ± 5.71

0.003

0.859

0.93

 Hypertension

30.80 ± 13.97

36.98 ± 15.36

34.48 ± 14.64

35.92 ± 15.24

<.001

<.001

<.001

 Kidney disease, chronic

2.54 ± 3.95

2.55 ± 2.89

2.06 ± 2.45

2.17 ± 2.61

0.954

0.02

0.08

 Liver disease, chronic

2.78 ± 2.99

2.80 ± 2.81

2.41 ± 2.29

2.31 ± 2.33

0.893

0.025

0.005

 Mood disorder

22.54 ± 13.53

26.85 ± 15.86

23.21 ± 13.57

23.44 ± 14.35

<.001

0.418

0.297

 Osteoporosis

1.74 ± 1.47

1.91 ± 1.71

1.74 ± 1.44

2.02 ± 1.89

0.077

0.972

0.008

 Stroke/TIA

2.19 ± 4.84

2.24 ± 3.53

1.76 ± 2.34

1.74 ± 1.98

0.851

0.068

0.053

 Urinary incontinence

4.49 ± 2.72

5.31 ± 5.27

4.52 ± 2.60

4.45 ± 2.61

0.001

0.839

0.818

  1. aAggregated Practice Characteristics refers to the profile of the patients that were seen (either in-person or virtually) at each practice during the study period, aggregated as means across all practices
  2. bPre-pandemic defined as 12 months prior to March 14, 2020, Early 1st Wave defined as March 14–May 10, 2020, Mid-Late 1st Wave defined as May 11–September 17, 2020, Early 2nd Wave defined as September 18–October 31, 2020
  3. cOne-way ANOVA was used
  4. dCOPD=Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
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