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[Trends in consultations and prescriptions for children with COPD]
J Wever-Hess1, J M Kouwenberg, A M Wever
1Juliana Kinderziekenhuis, afd. Kinderlongziekten, Gravenhage.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde
|June 19, 1993
Summary
Pediatric asthma and COPD care saw stable incidence but increased repeat visits and pulmonary medication prescriptions from 1981-1990. This suggests rising childhood obstructive airway disease severity.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Health Services Research
- Epidemiology
Context:
- Analysis of national ambulatory care data from 1981-1990.
- Focus on combined asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) management.
- Data stratified by age groups (0-4, 5-11, 12-19 years) and physician type (General Practitioner, Specialist).
Purpose:
- To evaluate trends in consultations and prescriptions for pediatric obstructive airway diseases.
- To assess changes in treatment patterns and medication use over a decade.
- To investigate potential shifts in disease morbidity based on healthcare utilization.
Summary:
- Consultation rates for pediatric asthma and COPD remained stable, indicating consistent incidence.
- Repeat consultation rates and pulmonary medication prescriptions significantly increased in younger age groups (0-4 and 5-11 years), particularly with specialists.
- A shift towards more targeted pulmonary medications was observed, with decreasing use of 'other drugs' by GPs, suggesting improved treatment rationality.
Impact:
- Findings suggest a potential increase in the severity of childhood obstructive airway diseases.
- Highlights the growing reliance on bronchodilators and anti-inflammatory agents, especially in specialist care.
- Provides insights into evolving treatment paradigms and healthcare utilization for pediatric respiratory conditions.