Differences in Frequency of Visits to Pediatric Primary Care Practices and Emergency Departments by Body Mass Index

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Health
• Public Health Research
• Healthcare Utilization Studies

Background:

• Body Mass Index (BMI) categories are critical indicators of child health.
• Understanding healthcare utilization patterns across different BMI categories is essential for targeted interventions.
• Previous research has highlighted disparities in healthcare access and outcomes based on weight status.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how body mass index (BMI) categories influence healthcare utilization among children.
• To identify specific healthcare settings where utilization differs based on BMI.
• To inform the development of targeted interventions for pediatric weight management.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of electronic health records for children aged 3-17 years.
• Inclusion of data from over 40 pediatric practices within a Northeastern health system.
• Comparison of healthcare utilization (primary care, emergency department visits, hospitalizations) across normal BMI, overweight, obesity, and severe obesity categories.

Main Results:

• Prevalence of overweight, obesity, and severe obesity was 16.3%, 12.4%, and 5.7% respectively.
• Children outside the normal BMI range had increased primary care visits.
• Higher BMI categories were associated with increased hospitalization risk, but not consistently with emergency department visit acuity.

Conclusions:

• Childhood BMI categories significantly correlate with variations in healthcare utilization, including primary care and hospitalizations.
• Further research is warranted to explore factors influencing these utilization differences, such as weight bias.
• The role of non-primary care settings in pediatric weight management requires additional investigation.