title: High costs of influenza: Direct medical costs of influenza disease in young children.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Health Policy and Clinical Effectiveness, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229, United States. gerry.fairbrother@cchmc.org
authors.forename: Gerry
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Fairbrother
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cassedy
authors.forename: Ismael R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Ortega-Sanchez
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Szilagyi
authors.forename: Kathryn M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Noelle-Angelique
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Molinari
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Donauer
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Henderson
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ambrose
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Poehling
authors.forename: Geoffrey A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Weinberg
authors.forename: Marie R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Griffin
authors.forename: Caroline B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: Lyn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Finelli
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bridges
authors.forename: Mary Allen
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Staat
mesh_terms: 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