Does deprivation affect the demand for NHS Direct? Observational study of routine data from Wales

Objective To estimate the effect of deprivation on the demand for calls to National Health Service Direct Wales (NHSDW) controlling for confounding factors. Design Study of routine data on over 400 000 calls to NHSDW using multiple regression to analyse the logarithms of ward-specific call rates across Wales by characteristics of call, patient and ward, notably the Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation. Setting 810 electoral wards with average...