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Rotavirus vaccine and health care utilization for diarrhea in U.S. children

Jennifer E Cortes1, Aaron T Curns, Jacqueline E Tate

  • 1Epidemic Intelligence Service, Office of Workforce and Career Development, Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.

The New England Journal of Medicine
|October 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Routine rotavirus vaccination (RV5) significantly reduced diarrhea-related healthcare use and costs in U.S. children. The vaccine led to substantial decreases in hospitalizations and emergency visits, saving millions in treatment costs.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Vaccinology
  • Pediatric Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RV5) was introduced for routine U.S. infant vaccination in 2006.
  • Monitoring vaccine impact on healthcare utilization is crucial for public health policy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the impact of rotavirus vaccine (RV5) on diarrhea-associated healthcare utilization and costs in U.S. children.
  • To estimate indirect benefits of RV5 vaccination in unvaccinated children.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized MarketScan databases to analyze RV5 coverage and diarrhea-related healthcare use from 2001-2009 in children under 5.
  • Compared healthcare use rates in vaccinated and unvaccinated children during rotavirus season.
  • Extrapolated national reductions in hospitalizations and associated costs.

Main Results:

  • By late 2008, RV5 coverage reached 73% in infants and 64% in 1-year-olds.
  • Diarrhea hospitalizations decreased by 33% in 2007-2008 and 25% in 2008-2009 post-vaccine introduction.
  • Rotavirus-specific hospitalizations saw reductions of 75% and 60% in the respective periods.
  • Significant reductions were observed in emergency department and outpatient visits for diarrhea.
  • Nationally, an estimated 64,855 hospitalizations were averted, saving approximately $278 million between 2007-2009.

Conclusions:

  • The introduction of rotavirus vaccine has led to substantial decreases in diarrhea-associated healthcare utilization and medical expenditures among U.S. children.
  • RV5 vaccination demonstrates significant public health benefits through reduced disease burden and healthcare costs.
Abstract

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