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The government and the inguinal hernia

D Friedman, A Schwartzbard, F T Velcek

    Journal of Pediatric Surgery
    |June 1, 1979
    PubMed

    Insights

    Government policy denying elective hernia repair in children over one year old disproportionately harms low-income children. This increases risks of incarceration and complications, making the policy medically and economically unsound.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Surgery
    • Health Economics
    • Public Health Policy

    Background:

    • A governmental decision to disallow elective herniorrhaphy in children over 1 year of age.
    • Socioeconomic disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.
    • Concerns regarding incarceration and complications of inguinal hernias in children.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To review the incidence of inguinal hernias in children.
    • To analyze socioeconomic differences in hernia incarceration risk.
    • To evaluate the impact of disallowing elective herniorrhaphy on patient outcomes and healthcare costs.

    Main Methods:

    • Literature review on pediatric inguinal hernias.
    • Analysis of incidence, incarceration rates, and complications.
    • Comparison of outcomes based on socioeconomic status and insurance (e.g., Medicaid).

    Main Results:

    • The risk of incarceration, failed preoperative reduction, and potential gonadal injury is over three times higher in low-income children.
    • Complications and hospitalization rates increase significantly with hernia incarceration.
    • Denying elective repair endangers children's health and increases overall healthcare expenditure.

    Conclusions:

    • The governmental policy is medically and economically unsound.
    • Disallowing elective herniorrhaphy in children over 1 year old poses significant risks.
    • Healthcare cost-containment policies require careful scrutiny to avoid negative patient outcomes and societal costs.

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