Increased healthcare utilisation among atopic children in a general practice database: a nested index-control study

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Healthcare Utilization
• General Practice Research
• Atopic Disorders Epidemiology

Background:

• Atopic eczema, asthma, and allergic rhinitis (AR) represent significant burdens on general practice resources.
• Understanding healthcare resource utilization in children with atopic disorders (ADs) is crucial for effective management and resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the patterns of general practice resource use, including consultations, telephone contacts, and home visits, among children diagnosed with atopic disorders (ADs).

Main Methods:

• A nested index-control study design was employed, selecting children aged 2-18 years from a representative general practice database in 2014.
• Children with physician-diagnosed ADs were matched with non-atopic controls based on age and sex within the same general practice.
• The number and frequency of contacts with general practitioners (GPs) were calculated for both atopic and non-atopic groups.

Main Results:

• Children with atopic eczema (80%), asthma (80%), and AR (82%) consulted GPs more often than controls (67%, 65%, 66% respectively).
• Children with all three ADs had the highest GP consultation rate (91% vs. 68% for controls).
• Contact frequency was higher for children with ADs (e.g., 2.8 times/year for atopic eczema vs. 1.9 for controls), but AD-related consultations explained only a portion of the increased utilization.

Conclusions:

• Atopic children demonstrate significantly higher utilization of general practice resources compared to non-atopic children.
• A substantial portion of increased healthcare use in atopic children is for health issues unrelated to their diagnosed atopic conditions.
• Further research is needed to understand the full spectrum of healthcare needs driving increased resource use in this population.