title: Incidence, impact on the family and cost of gastroenteritis among 4 to 6-year-old children in South Australia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gastroenteritis is an important cause of morbidity in both adults and children worldwide. Although the burden of morbidity and mortality is highest in developing countries, gastroenteritis is still a significant cause of morbidity in Australia, particularly in young children. The aims of the present study were to determine the incidence of gastroenteritis among 4-6-year-old children in South Australia, to describe the impact on daily activities of the child and caregiver and estimate the cost of gastroenteritis in this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  A diary study of drinking water consumption and gastrointestinal and respiratory symptoms was undertaken among 965 rural children in South Australia over a 6-week period during February-May 1999. Data on the response to gastrointestinal episodes were collected by telephone surveys midway and at the end of the 6-week period. Costing was based on the methods of Hellard et al.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of community gastroenteritis among 4-6-year-old children was 5.53 episodes per child-year (95% confidence interval: 4.87-5.80). The costs associated with childhood gastroenteritis were estimated to be between 16,858,360 AU dollars and 22,477,814 AU dollars per annum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The incidence of community gastroenteritis among the 4-6-year-olds in the South Australian population is high and it costs the community a significant amount of money in terms of direct medical costs and time lost by parents and carers looking after their ill children.
authors.affiliation: School of Population Health, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia. jane.heyworth@uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Jane S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Heyworth
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jardine
authors.forename: Gary
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Glonek
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Maynard
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017281:Cost of Illness; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D005759:Gastroenteritis / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology