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Trends in resource utilization for hospitalized children with skin and soft tissue infections

Michelle A Lopez1, Andrea T Cruz, Marc A Kowalkowski

  • 1Sections of Hospital Medicine, Department ofPediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA. malopez@texaschildrens.org

Pediatrics
|February 27, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) hospitalizations doubled from 1997 to 2009, increasing healthcare costs and procedures like incision and drainage (I&D). Further research is needed to manage this growing public health concern.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric hospital medicine
  • Infectious diseases
  • Health services research

Background:

  • Pediatric skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) represent a significant cause of childhood morbidity.
  • Understanding trends in healthcare resource utilization for SSTI hospitalizations is crucial for public health planning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe national trends in healthcare resource utilization for pediatric skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) hospitalizations between 1997 and 2009.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional analysis of the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database (1997-2009).
  • Examined patient and hospital characteristics, hospitalizations, length of stay (LOS), hospital charges, and incision and drainage (I&D) procedures.
  • Linear regression assessed trends; logistic regression identified factors associated with I&D.

Main Results:

  • SSTI hospitalizations doubled from 0.46% to 1.01% of all pediatric hospitalizations (1997-2009).
  • Hospital charges increased from $6,722 to $11,534, and I&D rates doubled (21% to 44%).
  • Younger age, minority race, female gender, public insurance, and Southern US region were associated with increased I&D.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric SSTI hospitalizations are an emerging public health issue with increasing healthcare utilization.
  • Further research is needed to identify effective interventions to address this burden.
Abstract

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