High costs of influenza: Direct medical costs of influenza disease in young children.
This study determined direct medical costs for influenza-associated hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits. For 3 influenza seasons, children <5 years of age with laboratory-confirmed influenza were identified through population-based surveillance. The mean direct cost per hospitalized child was $5402, with annual cost burden estimated at $44 to $163 million. Factors associated with high-cost hospitalizations included intensive care unit (ICU) admission and having an underlying high-risk condition. The mean medical cost per ED visit was $512, with annual ED cost burden estimated at $62 to $279 million. Implementation of the current vaccination policies will likely reduce the cost burden.
Fairbrother
Gerry
G
Health Policy and Clinical Effectiveness, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, United States. gerry.fairbrother@cchmc.org
Cassedy
Amy
A
Ortega-Sanchez
Ismael R
IR
Szilagyi
Peter G
PG
Edwards
Kathryn M
KM
Molinari
Noelle-Angelique
NA
Donauer
Stephanie
S
Henderson
Diana
D
Ambrose
Sandra
S
Kent
Diane
D
Poehling
Katherine
K
Weinberg
Geoffrey A
GA
Griffin
Marie R
MR
Hall
Caroline B
CB
Finelli
Lyn
L
Bridges
Carolyn
C
Staat
Mary Allen
MA
D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000191:economics* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D014481:United States