Burden of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Hospitalizations in Canada

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Health Economics

Background:

• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common viral infection in infants.
• While severe RSV disease is more common in high-risk infants, the burden on all hospitalized infants warrants examination.
• Understanding the socioeconomic impact is crucial for public health resource allocation and family support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the socioeconomic burden of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) disease in hospitalized Canadian infants.
• To assess hospitalization resource utilization, parental time commitment, out-of-pocket expenses, and lost work productivity.
• To evaluate parental stress and anxiety associated with infant hospitalization for RSV.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive study was conducted in Alberta, Canada, over two RSV seasons.
• Infants under one year hospitalized with confirmed RSV, who had not received palivizumab, were included.
• Data collection focused on hospitalization resources, parental time, costs, work productivity, and validated stress/anxiety scales.

Main Results:

• 13.4% of infants required intensive care unit (ICU) admission with an average stay of 6.5 days.
• Families incurred average out-of-pocket costs of 736.69 CAD, with parents spending nearly 7 days (164 hours) in the hospital.
• Working parents experienced significant absenteeism (49%) and work impairment (77.8%), alongside elevated parental stress and anxiety scores.

Conclusions:

• Infant hospitalization for RSV disease presents a substantial socioeconomic burden on families.
• This burden encompasses significant resource use, financial costs, lost work productivity, and considerable parental stress.
• The findings highlight the need for comprehensive support systems for families affected by infant RSV hospitalizations, irrespective of infant risk status.