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The burden of influenza in children
Mary Iskander1, Robert Booy, Stephen Lambert
1National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance, Children Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia. maryi@chw.edu.au
Insights
Recent studies reveal the significant medical and socioeconomic burden of influenza in children, impacting families and healthcare systems. This understanding is crucial for developing effective universal vaccination policies.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Influenza burden in children was previously underestimated, often relying on limited hospital-based data.
- Recent population-based studies provide a more comprehensive view of influenza's impact.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent studies on the medical and socioeconomic burden of influenza in children.
- To assess the implications of this burden for universal vaccination policies.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent population-based studies.
- Analysis of medical and socioeconomic impacts.
- Consideration of laboratory-confirmed influenza cases.
Main Results:
- Influenza significantly impacts children beyond hospitalizations, including outpatient visits and indirect costs (e.g., caregiver work loss).
- Population-based studies offer a clearer picture of the true burden compared to older hospital-based research.
- Laboratory confirmation improves accuracy in assessing influenza's specific impact.
Conclusions:
- A better understanding of influenza's burden in children, encompassing hospitalization, outpatient care, and socioeconomic factors, is now available.
- This enhanced understanding has significant implications for current and future universal influenza vaccination strategies for children.
Purpose Of Review:
This review summarizes recent studies that better address the burden of influenza from the medical and socioeconomic perspectives. The issue of influenza in children is one that has implications for future universal vaccination policies.
Recent Findings:
In the past, the burden of influenza in children was largely defined by hospital-based studies that quantify the incidence of influenza hospitalization and, consequently, the benefit of prevention in young children. The medical and the socioeconomic impact have been better appreciated recently with population-based studies because the great majority of children are managed as outpatients. Children with influenza may not have direct contact with medical services but still generate substantial costs in carer illness or work-day loss. Furthermore, the specificity offered by laboratory confirmation of influenza has enabled influenza to be separated from other respiratory viruses that may have confounded previous studies looking at the medical and economic costs of illness.
Summary:
Better understanding of the burden of influenza in healthy children regarding hospitalization rates, outpatient medical visits, community-managed illness and socioeconomic impact on families and society exists; this has potential implications for universal vaccination policies under consideration.
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