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Changing characteristics of hospital admissions but not the children admitted-a whole population study between 2000 and 2013.

ABSTRACT: There are increasing numbers of emergency medical paediatric admissions. Our hypothesis was that characteristics of children and details of their emergency admissions are also changing over time. Details of emergency admissions in Scotland 2000-2013 were analysed. There were 574,403 emergency admissions, median age 2.3 years. The age distribution, proportion of boys and socioeconomic status of children admitted were essentially unchanged. Emergency admissions rose by 49% from 36/1000 children per annum to 54/1000 between 2000 and 2013. Emergency admissions that were discharged on the same day rose by 186% from 8.6/1000 to 24.6/1000. The mean duration of emergency admission fell from 1.7 to 1.0 days. The odds for an emergency admission with upper respiratory infection, "viral infection", tonsillitis, bronchiolitis and lower respiratory tract infection all rose. In contrast the odds for an emergency admission with asthma and gastroenteritis fell.The demographics of children with emergency admissions have not changed substantially but characteristics of admissions have changed considerably, in particular admissions which are short stay and due to respiratory infection are much more common. The fall in the absolute number of children with some acute medical diagnoses suggests that the rise in admissions is not necessarily inexorable. What is Known: • Emergency admission prevalence is rising in many countries across Europe. What is New: • Our paper is the first to comprehensively analyse emergency medical paediatric admissions by exploring how characteristics of admissions and the children admitted have changed over time for a whole population. • The "take home message" is that whilst characteristics of emergency admissions have changed (e.g. number, duration of stay, readmissions, diagnoses), the characteristics of the children have not changed.

SUBMITTER: Al-Mahtot M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5816774 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Changing characteristics of hospital admissions but not the children admitted-a whole population study between 2000 and 2013.

Al-Mahtot Maryam M Barwise-Munro Rebecca R Wilson Philip P Turner Steve S

European journal of pediatrics 20171219 3

There are increasing numbers of emergency medical paediatric admissions. Our hypothesis was that characteristics of children and details of their emergency admissions are also changing over time. Details of emergency admissions in Scotland 2000-2013 were analysed. There were 574,403 emergency admissions, median age 2.3 years. The age distribution, proportion of boys and socioeconomic status of children admitted were essentially unchanged. Emergency admissions rose by 49% from 36/1000 children pe ...[more]

PMID: 29260375

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Project description:Universal health coverage (UHC) aims to improve child health through preventive primary care and vaccine coverage. Yet, in many developed countries with UHC, unplanned and ambulatory care sensitive (ACS) hospital admissions in childhood continue to rise. We investigated the relation between preventive primary care and risk of unplanned and ACS admission in children in a high-income country with UHC.We followed 319,780 children registered from birth with 363 English practices in Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked to Hospital Episodes Statistics, born between January 2000 and March 2013. We used Cox regression estimating adjusted hazard ratios (HR) to examine subsequent risk of unplanned and ACS hospital admissions in children who received preventive primary care (development checks and vaccinations), compared with those who did not.Overall, 98% of children had complete vaccinations and 87% had development checks. Unplanned admission rates were 259, 105 and 42 per 1000 child-years in infants (aged <?1 year), preschool (1-4 years) and primary school (5-9 years) children, respectively. Lack of preventive care was associated with more unplanned admissions. Infants with incomplete vaccination had increased risk for all unplanned admissions (HR 1.89, 1.79-2.00) and vaccine-preventable admissions (HR 4.41, 2.59-7.49). Infants lacking development checks had higher risk for unplanned admission (HR 4.63, 4.55-4.71). These associations persisted across childhood. Children who had higher consulting rates with primary care providers also had higher risk of unplanned admission (preschool children: HR 1.17, 1.17-1.17). One third of all unplanned admissions (62,154/183,530) were for ACS infectious illness. Children with chronic ACS conditions, asthma, diabetes or epilepsy had increased risk of unplanned admission (HR 1.90, 1.77-2.04, HR 11.43, 8.48-15.39, and HR 4.82, 3.93-5.91, respectively). These associations were modified in children who consulted more in primary care.A high uptake of preventive primary care from birth is associated with fewer unplanned and ACS admissions in children. However, the clustering of poor health, a lack of preventive care uptake, and social deprivation puts some children with comorbid conditions at very high risk of admission. Strengthening immunisation coverage and preventive primary care in countries with poor UHC could potentially significantly reduce the health burden from hospital admission in children.

Project description:ImportancePrognostication following ICU admission can often be determined based on known risk factors, including demographics and illness severity; however, little is known about outcomes of patients deemed to be "low-risk" at the time of hospital admission who subsequently are admitted to the ICU.ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were to determine the characteristics, outcomes, and costs for patients requiring ICU admission despite having lower predicted mortality when they were admitted to the hospital.Design setting and participantsIn this historical cohort study, we used a prospectively maintained ICU registry that included all ICU admissions to The Ottawa Hospital for patients 18 years or older from January 2011 to December 2016. We classified patients as low-risk using the Hospital-patient 1-year Mortality Risk at admission score, a hospital admission score validated to predict 1-year mortality.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcome was inhospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included adverse events, resource utilization, and costs.ResultsOf the 17,173 total ICU patients, 3,445 (20.1%) were classified as low-risk at hospital admission. Low-risk patients were younger (48.7 vs 67.5 yr; p < 0.001) and had a lower Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (2.37 vs 4.14; p < 0.001). Mortality for low-risk patients was significantly lower than for non-low-risk patients (4.1% vs 25.4%; p < 0.001). For low-risk patients, multivariable logistic regression showed mortality was independently associated with older age (odds ratio, 1.02 per 1 yr; 95% CI, 1.00-1.03 per 1 yr), Multiple Organ Dysfunction Score (odds ratio, 1.42 per 1 point; 95% CI, 1.31-1.54 per 1 point), fluid management adverse events (odds ratio, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.29-6.25), hospital-acquired infections (odds ratio, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.02-2.51), and mechanical ventilation (odds ratio, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.20-3.26).Conclusions and relevanceDespite their robust premorbid status, low-risk patients admitted to the ICU had significant inhospital mortality. Fluid management adverse events, hospital-associated infections, multiple organ dysfunction, and mechanical ventilation are important prognostic factors for low-risk patients.

Project description:BackgroundPneumococcal infections are major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We use routine hospital admissions data and time-series modelling analysis to estimate the impact of the seven and thirteen valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCV7 and PCV13) on hospital admissions due to pneumococcal disease in England.MethodsHospital admissions for pneumococcal meningitis, bacteraemia and pneumonia between January 1, 2003 and December 31, 2015 were identified from the national Hospital Episode Statistics database for all age groups in England. We model the impact of pneumococcal vaccination using interrupted time series analysis. Hospital admissions prior to vaccine introduction were extrapolated to predict the expected number of admissions in the absence of pneumococcal vaccines. Admissions avoided over time were estimated by comparing the fitted interrupted time series and the expected model for no vaccination in a Bayesian framework.ResultsOverall, there were 43,531 (95% credible interval (CrI): 36486-51,346) fewer hospital admissions due to bacteraemia, meningitis and pneumonia in England during the period from 2006 to 2015 than would have been expected if pneumococcal vaccines had not been implemented, with the majority of hospital admissions avoided due to pneumonia. Among young children reductions in meningitis were more common, while among adults reductions in pneumonia admissions were relatively more important, with no evidence for reduced bacteraemia and meningitis among older adults. We estimated that 981 (95% CrI: 391-2018), 749 (95% CrI: 295-1442) and 1464 (95% CrI: 793-2522) bacteraemia, meningitis and pneumonia related hospital admissions, respectively, were averted in children < 2 years of age.ConclusionsSubstantial reductions in hospital admissions for bacteraemia, meningitis and pneumonia in England were estimated after the introduction of childhood vaccination, with indirect effects being responsible for most of the hospital admissions avoided.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Rotavirus, predominantly of group A, is a major cause of severe diarrhoea worldwide, with the greatest burden falling on young children living in less-developed countries. Vaccines directed against this virus have shown promise in recent trials, and are undergoing effectiveness evaluation in sub-Saharan Africa. In this region limited childhood data are available on the incidence and clinical characteristics of severe group A rotavirus disease. Advocacy for vaccine intervention and interpretation of effectiveness following implementation will benefit from accurate base-line estimates of the incidence and severity of rotavirus paediatric admissions in relevant populations. The study objective was to accurately define the incidence and severity of group A rotavirus disease in a resource-poor setting necessary to make informed decisions on the need for vaccine prevention. METHODS AND FINDINGS:Between 2002 and 2004 we conducted prospective surveillance for group A rotavirus infection at Kilifi District Hospital in coastal Kenya. Children < 13 y of age were eligible as "cases" if admitted with diarrhoea, and "controls" if admitted without diarrhoea. We calculated the incidence of hospital admission with group A rotavirus using data from a demographic surveillance study of 220,000 people in Kilifi District. Of 15,347 childhood admissions 3,296 (22%) had diarrhoea, 2,039 were tested for group A rotavirus antigen and, of these, 588 (29%) were positive. 372 (63%) rotavirus-positive cases were infants. Of 620 controls 19 (3.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.9-4.7) were rotavirus positive. The annual incidence (per 100,000 children) of rotavirus-positive admissions was 1,431 (95% CI 1,275-1,600) in infants and 478 (437-521) in under-5-y-olds, and highest proximal to the hospital. Compared to children with rotavirus-negative diarrhoea, rotavirus-positive cases were less likely to have coexisting illnesses and more likely to have acidosis (46% versus 17%) and severe electrolyte imbalance except hyponatraemia. In-hospital case fatality was 2% among rotavirus-positive and 9% among rotavirus-negative children. CONCLUSIONS:In Kilifi > 2% of children are admitted to hospital with group A rotavirus diarrhoea in the first 5 y of life. This translates into over 28,000 vaccine-preventable hospitalisations per year across Kenya, and is likely to be a considerable underestimate. Group A rotavirus diarrhoea is associated with acute life-threatening metabolic derangement in otherwise healthy children. Although mortality is low in this clinical research setting this may not be generally true in African hospitals lacking rapid and appropriate management.

Project description:INTRODUCTION:Medical admissions must balance two potentially competing missions: to select those who will be successful medical students and clinicians and to increase the diversity of the medical school population and workforce. Many countries address this dilemma by reducing the heavy reliance on prior educational attainment, complementing this with other selection tools. However, evidence to what extent this shift in practice has actually widened access is conflicting. AIM:To examine if changes in medical school selection processes significantly impact on the composition of the student population. DESIGN AND SETTING:Observational study of medical students from 18 UK 5-year medical programmes who took the UK Clinical Aptitude Test from 2007 to 2014; detailed analysis on four schools. PRIMARY OUTCOME:Proportion of admissions to medical school for four target groups (lower socioeconomic classes, non-selective schooling, non-white and male). DATA ANALYSIS:Interrupted time-series framework with segmented regression was used to identify the impact of changes in selection practices in relation to invitation to interview to medical school. Four case study medical schools were used looking at admissions within for the four target groups. RESULTS:There were no obvious changes in the overall proportion of admissions from each target group over the 8-year period, averaging at 3.3% lower socioeconomic group, 51.5% non-selective school, 30.5% non-white and 43.8% male. Each case study school changed their selection practice in decision making for invite to interview during 2007-2014. Yet, this within-school variation made little difference locally, and changes in admission practices did not lead to any discernible change in the demography of those accepted into medical school. CONCLUSION:Although our case schools changed their selection procedures, these changes did not lead to any observable differences in their student populations. Increasing the diversity of medical students, and hence the medical profession, may require different, perhaps more radical, approaches to selection.

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Changing characteristics of hospital admissions but not the children admitted-a whole population study between 2000 and 2013.

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Changing characteristics of hospital admissions but not the children admitted-a whole population study between 2000 and 2013.

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