title: Pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 in north Queensland--risk factors for admission in a region with a large indigenous population.
abstract: This study describes the epidemiology of laboratory-confirmed pandemic influenza H1N1 within north Queensland, Australia. We collected data on all specimens tested for influenza (including H1N1) by polymerase chain reaction between May and August 2009 at Townsville Hospital. Patients requiring admission to hospital and a proportion of non-admitted patients had clinical characteristics recorded. Multi-variable logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors for admission. Patients requiring admission were on average older, less likely to be of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent and more likely to be pregnant, female or suffer from diabetes mellitus. Oseltamivir provision was significantly higher within the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander patient population. However, when the relative sizes of the local Indigenous and non-Indigenous populations were considered, the relative risk of hospital admission for Indigenous people was found to be 7.9 (4.7-13.2) in comparison to non-indigenous.
authors.affiliation: Pathology Queensland, Townsville Hospital, Queensland. Patrick_Harris@health.qld.gov.au
authors.forename: Patrick N A
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Rashmi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dixit
authors.forename: Fleur
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: Petra G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Buettner
authors.forename: Clinton
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Leahy
authors.forename: Bjorn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burgher
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Proud
authors.forename: Ruvinka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jayalath
authors.forename: Amrit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grewal
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Norton
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D003422:Critical Care; D018563:Disease Notification; D004196:Disease Outbreaks; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000821:virology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053139:Oseltamivir / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000998:Antiviral Agents; D053139:Oseltamivir