Cost of care for a geographically determined population of low birthweight infants to age 8-9 years. II. Children with disability.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the cost of health and educational service provision for low birthweight children with a clinical disability.


METHODS
Cohort study of a geographically defined population in five health districts that comprise the County of Merseyside was undertaken. All children with a clinical disability born in 1980 and 1981 to mothers resident in the County of Merseyside were followed up to age 8-9 years. The cost of care associated with the initial admission to the neonatal special/intensive care unit and subsequent use of hospital, family practitioner, and special education services was assessed.


RESULTS
There were 52 children with a disability; the disability rate in children of birthweight < or = 2000 g was estimated at 7.7%. Of the total expenditure to age 8-9 years, special education was the largest category (52%) and neonatal care accounted for 35%. The disabled children accounted for 38% of the cost of the whole cohort of 693 disabled and non-disabled children who weighed < or = 2000 g at birth.


CONCLUSIONS
In a cohort of low birthweight children, those who are disabled account for a disproportionate amount of the total expenditure to age 8-9. The cost of long term care for disabled young persons and adults will increasingly dominate the cost of care for the whole cohort of low birthweight children.
Stevenson
R C
RC
Department of Economics, University of Liverpool.
Pharoah
P O
PO
Stevenson
C J
CJ
McCabe
C J
CJ
Cooke
R W
RW
D002654:Child Care / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D004519:Education, Special / Q000191:economics; D004739:England; D005194:Family Practice; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000191:economics*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics; D017741:Survivors