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False-positive newborn screening result and future health care use in a state Medicaid cohort

Beth A Tarini1, Sarah J Clark, Subra Pilli

  • 1Child Health Evaluation and Research Unit, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0456, USA. btarini@umich.edu

Pediatrics
|September 21, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Preterm infants with false-positive newborn screening (NBS) results had more acute outpatient visits. Term infants with false-positive NBS results showed no difference in health care visits compared to those with normal results.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Newborn screening (NBS) identifies infants at risk for serious medical conditions.
  • False-positive NBS results can lead to parental anxiety and unnecessary healthcare utilization.
  • Understanding healthcare visit patterns after false-positive NBS is crucial for resource allocation and parental support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare healthcare visit rates between infants with false-positive and normal newborn screening (NBS) results.
  • To investigate the impact of gestational age on healthcare utilization following false-positive NBS.
  • To inform clinical practice and public health strategies regarding NBS follow-up.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of administrative claims data for Medicaid-enrolled infants born in Michigan in 2006.
  • Calculation of average outpatient, emergency department, and hospital visits for infants aged 3-12 months.
  • Adjusted incidence rate ratios were computed, accounting for covariates and interaction effects.

Main Results:

  • A total of 49,959 infants were analyzed, with 818 having false-positive NBS results.
  • Preterm infants with false-positive NBS results showed significantly higher acute outpatient visit rates.
  • No significant differences in emergency department, inpatient, or well-child outpatient visit rates were observed between groups, irrespective of gestational age.

Conclusions:

  • False-positive NBS results are associated with increased acute outpatient visits in preterm infants, potentially due to underlying conditions or parental anxiety.
  • The lack of increased healthcare utilization in term infants with false-positive NBS may be specific to the studied Medicaid population.
  • Further research is needed to explore the nuances of healthcare-seeking behavior and outcomes in diverse infant populations following NBS.
Abstract

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