The economic burden of hospitalizations associated with child abuse and neglect.
OBJECTIVE
This study assessed the economic burden of child abuse-related hospitalizations.


METHODS
We compared inpatient stays coded with a diagnosis of child abuse or neglect with stays of other hospitalized children using the 1999 National Inpatient Sample of the Healthcare Costs and Utilization Project.


RESULTS
Children whose hospital stays were coded with a diagnosis of abuse or neglect were significantly more likely to have died during hospitalization (4.0% vs 0.5%), have longer stays (8.2 vs 4.0 days), twice the number of diagnoses (6.3 vs 2.8), and double the total charges (19,266 vs 9513 US dollars) than were other hospitalized children. Furthermore, the primary payer was typically Medicaid (66.5% vs 37.0%).


CONCLUSIONS
Earlier identification of children at risk for child abuse and neglect might reduce the individual, medical, and societal costs.
Rovi
Sue
S
Department of Family Medicine, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, New Jersey Medical School, Newark, 07103, USA. rovis@umdnj.edu
Chen
Ping-Hsin
PH
Johnson
Mark S
MS
D017677:Age Distribution; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015897:Comorbidity; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007348:Insurance, Health / Q000191:economics; D038801:International Classification of Diseases / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics; D008297:Male; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011204:Poverty Areas; D044469:Racial Groups; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology