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Published on: July 29, 2020

Cost and consultation patterns of abdominal pain in Uruguayan children

Miguel Saps1, Pablo Bolioli, Magali Espana

  • 1Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Children's Memorial Hospital, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60614, USA. msaps@childrensmemorial.org

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|January 29, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Abdominal pain (AP) in South American children leads to significant healthcare costs. This study analyzed consultation patterns and expenses, revealing key demographic trends in AP consultations.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric healthcare utilization
  • Public health economics
  • Epidemiology of childhood illness

Background:

  • Childhood abdominal pain (AP) negatively impacts quality of life, social functioning, and school attendance.
  • This study is the first to examine AP consultation patterns and associated costs in South American children.
  • Understanding these patterns is crucial for resource allocation and healthcare planning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate consultation patterns for abdominal pain in children in South America.
  • To determine the economic costs associated with pediatric abdominal pain consultations.
  • To identify demographic variations in AP consultation rates.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of house call data from Unidad Coronaria Movil in Montevideo, Uruguay (2002-2005).
  • Inclusion of 125,945 in-home visits and 1588 outpatient consultations.
  • Examination of consultation variances by sex and age, and cost analysis per visit.

Main Results:

  • AP consultation rates peaked in children aged 7–9 years.
  • Females aged 9–14 years consulted more frequently for AP than males in the same age group.
  • Each AP consultation represented approximately 3.8% of Uruguay's per capita healthcare spending in 2005.

Conclusions:

  • Abdominal pain is a universal health issue affecting children globally.
  • Pediatric AP is associated with substantial healthcare expenditures.
  • This research highlights the economic burden of AP in a South American pediatric population.
Abstract

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