title: Hospitalizations and emergency room visits for adolescents and young adults with muscular dystrophy living in South Carolina.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Transitioning from adolescence to adulthood can be problematic for individuals with rare disabilities such as muscular dystrophy (MD).
  
  
  METHODS
  We identified a cohort of 220 individuals with MD and 440 matched comparison individuals and measured emergency room (ER) and inpatient (IP) encounters for the years 2000 through 2010, using all-payer hospital discharge uniform billing data. We compared ER and IP use rates for people with and without MD, and for 15-19-year-olds with MD to 20-24-year-olds with MD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ER and IP use rates were significantly higher among individuals with MD than the comparison group. In addition, ER and IP use rates were significantly higher in the 20-24-year age group than in the 15-19-year group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Additional research is needed to determine whether increased ER and IP use in young adults is attributable to difficulties in healthcare transition versus increased disease severity.
authors: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, 3209 Colonial Drive, Columbia, South Carolina, 29201, USA.
authors: Joshua R
authors: JR
authors: Mann
authors: South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, Health and Demographics Section, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.
authors: Julie A
authors: JA
authors: Royer
authors: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.
authors: Suzanne
authors: S
authors: Mcdermott
authors: Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.
authors: James W
authors: JW
authors: Hardin
authors: Economics Department, Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.
authors: Orgul
authors: O
authors: Ozturk
authors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors: Natalie
authors: N
authors: Street
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000639:trends*; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013022:South Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D060305:Transition to Adult Care / Q000639:trends; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: ambulatory care-sensitive conditions; emergency department; hospitalizations; muscular dystrophy; transition