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Hospitalization of very low birth weight children at school age
M C McCormick1, K Workman-Daniels, J Brooks-Gunn
1Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115.
Insights
Very low birth weight (VLBW) children face a significantly higher risk of hospitalization throughout childhood. This increased risk persists into school age, mirroring early-life trends.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Health
- Neonatal Outcomes
- Public Health
Background:
- Infants born with very low birth weight (VLBW) often experience long-term health challenges.
- Understanding the ongoing healthcare needs of VLBW survivors is crucial for effective intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if very low birth weight (VLBW) is associated with an increased risk of hospitalization during school age.
- To quantify the risk of rehospitalization in VLBW children compared to normal birth weight peers.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, multisite cohort study involving 611 VLBW children and control groups.
- Participants were re-contacted at 8 to 10 years of age.
- Data collected via maternal interviews using standardized questionnaires.
Main Results:
- VLBW children were 3-4 times more likely to be rehospitalized than normal birth weight children.
- This elevated risk was observed both in the year prior to the interview (7% vs. 2%) and since birth (50-60% vs. 22%).
- Morbidity and Medicaid coverage were identified as risk factors for hospitalization, while non-white race was associated with decreased risk, though lower birth weight remained a significant independent risk factor.
Conclusions:
- Very low birth weight (VLBW) survivors exhibit a sustained increased risk of hospitalization into school age.
- The magnitude of this hospitalization risk in later childhood is comparable to that observed in infancy.
Objective:
To assess whether very low birth weight (VLBW) increases the risk of hospitalization at school age.
Design:
Prospective, multisite cohort study.
Participants:
Selected from a previous multisite, hospital-based trial, 611 VLBW children, and, from a prior representative sample, 724 children who weighed 1501 to 2500 gm and 533 who weighed > 2500 gm. All the children were re-contacted at 8 to 10 years of age for this study.
Methods:
Maternal interview with the use of standardized questions.
Main Outcome:
Hospitalization in year before interview.
Results:
The VLBW children were three or four times more likely to be rehospitalized than children of normal birth weight, both in the year before the interview (7% vs 2%) and since birth (50% to 60% vs 22%). Morbidity and Medicaid coverage increased the risk of hospitalization in the year before the interview; non-white race decreased it. After control for other factors, however, lower birth weight remained a significant risk factor for hospitalization.
Conclusions:
The VLBW children continue to have an increased risk of hospitalization; the risk is similar in magnitude to that seen in infancy.