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The burden of illness experienced by young children associated with asthma: a population-based cohort study

Teresa To1, Sharon Dell, Paul Dick

  • 1Child Health Evaluative Sciences, Research Institute, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. teresa.to@sickkids.ca

The Journal of Asthma : Official Journal of the Association for the Care of Asthma
|February 9, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Childhood asthma prevalence increased 35% in Ontario. Children with asthma incurred higher healthcare costs, impacting the healthcare system significantly.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Health Economics

Background:

  • Childhood asthma is a significant public health concern.
  • Understanding the economic burden of childhood asthma is crucial for resource allocation.
  • Previous studies have not fully quantified the long-term healthcare utilization and costs associated with childhood asthma in Ontario.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence and healthcare burden of childhood asthma in Ontario.
  • To analyze healthcare utilization and costs for children with asthma compared to the general population.
  • To assess the impact of childhood asthma on the Ontario healthcare system.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized Ontario healthcare administrative databases to identify over 228,000 children aged 0-9 with asthma (1994-1998).
  • Followed children until age 10 or study end, tracking healthcare utilization and costs.
  • Analyzed trends in asthma prevalence and associated expenditures.

Main Results:

  • Childhood asthma prevalence increased by 35% during the study period.
  • Children with asthma exhibited higher healthcare utilization compared to the general population.
  • Asthma in children incurred over $100 more per child annually and represented over one-third of total Ontario Health Insurance Plan expenditures.

Conclusions:

  • Childhood asthma represents a substantial burden on affected children and the healthcare system in Ontario.
  • The rising prevalence and associated costs necessitate targeted interventions and resource planning.
  • Further research is warranted to explore preventative strategies and optimize care for pediatric asthma.

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