Socioeconomic status and utilization of health care services among asthmatic children.
We evaluated the relation between socioeconomic factors and hospitalization as well as emergency department (ED) visits among asthmatic children who had universal access to health care. Newly diagnosed asthmatic children 3-4 years of age were followed up for a period of 6 years. Information on hospitalization and ED visits was obtained by interviewing parents. Socioeconomic status (SES) was measured by paternal occupation, race, type of dwelling, and an index of crowding. After adjusting for asthma severity, logistic regression analysis showed that children with fathers in the economically least advantaged occupations were more likely to be hospitalized due to their asthma [father's occupation group 3 (FOG3), odds ratio (OR)=2.1, 95% confidence interval (95% CI)=0.2-19.8; father's occupation group 4 (FOG4), OR=13.9, 95% CI=1.1-181.4]. The probability of emergency department visits was not significantly different according to the studied variables. Emergency department visits were not influenced by SES variables, probably due to the absence offinancial barriers to access health care. However, SES differences in hospitalization may suggest differential management and/or treatment practices according to socioeconomic status at the emergency departments.
Amre
Devendra Krishna
DK
Department of Pediatrics, Hĵpital Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada. devendra.amre@umontreal.ca
Infante-Rivard
Claire
C
Gautrin
Denyse
D
Malo
Jean-Luc
JL
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005220:Fathers; D005260:Female; D006296:Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009790:Occupations; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors