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Multiple admissions under 2 years of age
1Northern General Hospital, Sheffield.
Insights
Hospital admissions for children under two increased between 1980 and 1985, particularly for those with multiple admissions. This highlights the need for individual tracking in pediatric healthcare analysis.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Hospital admission rates are crucial indicators of child health.
- Understanding trends in pediatric admissions is vital for resource allocation and healthcare planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze changes in hospital admission rates for children under two years of age between two birth cohorts (1980 and 1985).
- To identify trends in admission frequency, focusing on multiple admissions.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of two complete birth cohorts from a defined geographical area, born five years apart.
- Analysis of individual child admission data to track frequency and timing of hospitalizations.
Main Results:
- Overall admission rates increased from 209 to 247 per 1000 children.
- A significant rise in multiple admissions (three or more) was observed, with these children accounting for over 30% of all admissions.
- 76% of children in the 1985 cohort had their first hospital admission before their first birthday.
Conclusions:
- Individual tracking of children is essential for accurate analysis of hospital admission data.
- The increasing trend in pediatric hospital admissions, especially multiple admissions, warrants further investigation into underlying causes.
- Cohort data from defined populations provide reliable insights into healthcare utilization trends.
Abstract:
Hospital admission rates before 2 years of age are reported for two complete birth cohorts born within a geographically defined area five years apart in 1980 and 1985. Admission rates for individual children in the cohort before 2 years of age showed an increase between 1980 and 1985 from 209 to 247 children/1000. The most significant increase took place in those children admitted three or more times (multiple admissions). Children admitted once only increased significantly but there was no significant change in the number of children admitted twice. A total of 2.3% of the total cohort in 1980 and 3.6% in 1985 were admitted three or more times and accounted for over 30% of all admissions. Age specific rates are reported for the 1985 cohort; 36% of those admitted had their first admission before 3 months of age and 76% before their first birthday. The disproportionate contribution of children with multiple admissions to the admissions total renders admission data from Hospital Activities Analysis invalid unless linked to individual children. Cohort data based on a geographically defined population provide the most reliable admission rates and permit an accurate analysis of trends. The significance of and reasons for the upward trend in early childhood admissions are discussed.