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Multiple admission and deprivation
N J Spencer1, M A Lewis, S Logan
1School of Postgraduate Medical Education, University of Warwick, Coventry.
Insights
Social deprivation strongly links to multiple early childhood hospital admissions, particularly for organic conditions. This association persists even after accounting for factors like low birthweight and young maternal age.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Pediatrics
- Sociology
Background:
- Multiple hospital admissions in early childhood represent a significant healthcare burden.
- Socioeconomic factors, such as social deprivation, are increasingly recognized as determinants of child health outcomes.
- Understanding the specific pathways linking deprivation to hospital admissions is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between social deprivation and multiple hospital admissions in early childhood.
- To determine if this relationship holds for admissions due to organic causes.
- To examine the influence of deprivation on admissions related to parental coping mechanisms.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from two Sheffield birth cohorts (1980 and 1985).
- Analyzed the relationship between residence in deprived areas and the occurrence of three or more hospital admissions in early childhood.
- Conducted subgroup analyses excluding low birthweight infants and children of young mothers.
Main Results:
- A robust correlation was found between residence in deprived areas and multiple early childhood hospital admissions.
- This association was particularly evident for admissions primarily or exclusively due to organic medical conditions.
- The link between deprivation and hospital admissions remained significant after controlling for low birthweight and young maternal age.
Conclusions:
- Social deprivation is a significant predictor of multiple hospital admissions in early childhood, especially for organic pathologies.
- Deprivation appears to exert a dual influence, increasing admissions for physical illness and those linked to challenges in parental caregiving.
- Public health strategies addressing social inequalities may reduce childhood hospital admissions.
Abstract:
The relationship between multiple hospital admission (three or more) in early childhood and social deprivation was explored using data from two Sheffield whole year birth cohorts (1980 and 1985). The findings demonstrate a strong relationship between multiple admission for mainly, and exclusively, organic reasons and residence in an area of deprivation. The relationship persists when low birthweight infants and those with young mothers are excluded from the analysis. The results suggest a dual effect of deprivation on early childhood hospital admission; an increase in admissions associated with organic pathology and those associated with impaired parental coping.