Social deprivation and admission for neonatal care.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether social deprivation is associated with neonatal unit admission.


METHODS
English district general hospital.


METHODS
Retrospective review of neonatal unit admission records between 1990 and 2002.


RESULTS
There was a linear increase in admission rates with increasing deprivation. The admission rate was 6.1% of live births for infants in the most affluent quartile compared with 11.1% for those in the most deprived quartile. Admission rates for all indications except jaundice and feeding problems increased with increasing deprivation.


CONCLUSIONS
Social deprivation correlates strongly with neonatal morbidity and the need for neonatal unit admission. This finding has implications for professionals in public health and primary and secondary care.
Manning
D
D
Neonatal Unit, Wirral Hospital, Arrowe Park, Wirral, Merseyside CH49 5PE, UK. donal.manning@whnt.nhs.uk
Brewster
B
B
Bundred
P
P
D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006767:Hospitals, District / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011203:Poverty; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors