The cost of foreign body injuries in the upper aero-digestive tract: need for a change from a clinical to a public health perspective?
OBJECTIVE
This paper addressed the impact in terms of direct costs of the injuries in children due to foreign bodies in the upper aero-digestive tract.


METHODS
Two thousand one hundred and three consecutive cases were collected from 2000 to 2002 in 16 European hospitals, 1 hospital for each participating country, and referred to children aged until 14 who had FB injuries. Costs were based on the extraction of the FB procedures and on hospitalization length, based on DRGs. Determinants of costs and of length of stay (LOS) were analyzed using a multilevel model.


RESULTS
The major cost of the treatment of FB injuries is covered by the ENT Departments, which are usually the first choice of referral, directly from the patients. Children had a mean LOS of 2.13 days (95% C.I. 1.99-2.29). Treatment of the FB was associated with a mean cost of euro 1017.37 (95% C.I. 963.27-1073.51). In the multivariable analysis higher costs are related to the modality of arrival to the hospital by walk, to the site of the injury (ICD-933, ICD-934, ICD-935 in particular) and to the use of surgery in removing the FB.


CONCLUSIONS
Foreign bodies injuries are posing a great threat not only with regards to the clinical aspects but also from the public health perspective, their treatment being associated with high costs, in particular when surgery is needed.
Gregori
D
D
Department of Public Health and Microbiology, University of Torino, Via Santena 5bis, 10126 Torino, Italy. dario.gregori@unito.it
Scarinzi
C
C
Berchialla
P
P
Snidero
S
S
Rahim
Y
Y
Stancu
A
A
Corradetti
R
R
Pagano
E
E
Morra
B
B
Salerni
L
L
Passali
D
D
D000293:Adolescent; D001980:Bronchi / Q000293:injuries*; D002648:Child; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D011634:Public Health / Q000191:economics*; D013997:Time Factors; D014132:Trachea / Q000293:injuries*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology