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Estimating the burden of pertussis in young children on hospitals and emergency departments: a study using linked

L K McCallum1, B Liu2, P McIntyre3

  • 1University of Western Sydney, Campbelltown, Australia.

Epidemiology and Infection
|May 16, 2013
PubMed

Insights

This study reveals pertussis (whooping cough) health system burden is underestimated. Linking health records identified more hospitalizations and emergency visits for pertussis than previously known, especially in older children.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Health Services Research

Background:

  • Pertussis (whooping cough) is a significant public health concern.
  • Accurate estimation of the health system burden of pertussis is crucial for resource allocation and prevention strategies.
  • Existing data may underestimate the true burden due to diagnostic coding limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the potential underestimation of the health system burden of pertussis.
  • To identify and quantify additional hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) presentations associated with pertussis notifications.
  • To provide a more comprehensive estimation of pertussis-related healthcare utilization.

Main Methods:

  • Linking administrative datasets including pertussis notifications, hospitalizations, and ED presentations.
  • Analysis of data for 1,304,876 children aged under 15 years in New South Wales, Australia, from 2005 to 2008.
  • Identification of hospital and ED events occurring within ±7 days of a pertussis notification, even without a pertussis diagnosis code.

Main Results:

  • 3006 pertussis notifications, 455 hospitalizations, and 644 ED presentations with a pertussis diagnosis were recorded.
  • Linking data identified an additional 140 hospitalizations and 735 ED presentations potentially related to pertussis.
  • These additional events were often coded as bronchiolitis, upper respiratory infection, or cough.
  • Inclusion of linked data significantly increased the proportion of notified cases requiring hospitalization or ED visits, particularly for children aged 5 to <15 years.

Conclusions:

  • The health system burden of pertussis is likely underestimated by relying solely on coded diagnoses.
  • Linking administrative datasets provides a more comprehensive approach to estimating pertussis-related healthcare utilization.
  • This methodology is essential for accurate public health surveillance and resource planning for pertussis.

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