title: Costs of admission for paediatric pneumonia in a setting of human immunodeficiency virus infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pneumonia in South African children remains a major public health concern. The costs of hospital admission for pneumonia should be determined, especially where human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is common.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the hospital costs of children (HIV-infected vs. non-HIV-infected) admitted for the management of pneumonia and compare them in the public and fee-for-service sectors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of paediatric admissions in 2007 was performed. Costs were determined for the public and fee-for-service sectors. Outcome measures included hospital mortality and comparative costs of admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 132 admissions in a public sector facility (67% HIV-infected), and 7882 in the fee-for-service sector (1.2% HIV-infected). Total mortality was respectively 25% in the public and 0.04% in the fee-for-service sectors. The mean cost for HIV-infected patients was respectively US$639.06 and US$10 540.04 in the public and fee-for-service sectors. For non-HIV-infected patients, the cost was respectively US$399.45 and US$3936.87. Length of stay for HIV-infected patients was longer by respectively 1.8 days and 5.7 days in the public sector among admissions to the ward and to the paediatric intensive care unit.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Admission for HIV-infected children with pneumonia costs significantly more in both sectors. Preventive strategies are needed.
authors: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Steve Biko Academic Hospital, Pretoria, South Africa.
authors: O P
authors: OP
authors: Kitchin
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Wessels
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Masekela
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Becker
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Green
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018588:Fee-for-Service Plans; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D017721:Hospital Costs; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000191:economics* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013019:South Africa / Q000453:epidemiology