Comparisons between ethnic groups in hospitalizations for respiratory syncytial virus bronchiolitis in Israel

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Ethnic disparities in respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis have been observed.
• The role of healthcare access in these disparities remains unclear.
• This study investigates ethnic differences in RSV bronchiolitis hospitalizations in Israel, a nation with universal healthcare.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare demographic and clinical characteristics of Arab and Jewish children hospitalized for RSV bronchiolitis.
• To determine if ethnic differences in hospitalization rates are influenced by socioeconomic factors or healthcare access.
• To identify predictors of severe RSV bronchiolitis in a diverse pediatric population.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of medical records for 309 children under 24 months hospitalized with RSV between 2008-2011.
• Data collected included demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological information.
• RSV antigen identification was performed using immunochromatography.

Main Results:

• Annual RSV hospitalization incidence was 5.4/1000 for Arab children and 6.8/1000 for Jewish children.
• Arab patients were younger, had younger parents, and predominantly resided in low socioeconomic areas.
• Disease severity did not differ significantly between ethnic groups; pneumonia and prior respiratory disease history predicted severe illness.

Conclusions:

• RSV bronchiolitis hospitalization incidence may be higher in Jewish children, potentially due to healthcare utilization patterns.
• Observed demographic differences between Arab and Jewish children reflect general population disparities.
• Pneumonia, not ethnicity, was the primary determinant of RSV bronchiolitis severity.