title: Influence of socioeconomic status on features and outcome of community-acquired pneumonia.
abstract: The influence of socioeconomic status on the features and evolution of community-acquired pneumonia in 107 consecutive hospitalized patients was investigated. Thirty-four (31.8%) patients were considered to have a low socioeconomic status. These patients were more likely immigrants, middle-aged, with fewer comorbid illnesses, and were more often tobacco, alcohol, or drug consumers (P<0.01). The distribution of etiologies was significantly different according to socioeconomic status, with tuberculosis occurring more frequently in the low socioeconomic group (P < 0.05). Low socioeconomic status was not associated with a more severe presentation or outcome of pneumonia but was an independent factor that predicted a significantly longer length of hospitalization (5.9 days longer; 95% confidence interval, 2.2-9.5 days; P<0.003), entailing a substantial excess cost per hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Médecine Interne, Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stelianides
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Golmard
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carbon
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fantin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000150:complications* / Q000191:economics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012923:Social Class