Residential Moving and Preventable Hospitalizations.
To investigate the association between moving home in the first year of life and subsequent emergency admissions for potentially preventable hospitalizations.



We undertook a cohort analysis of linked anonymized data on 237 842 children in the Welsh Electronic Cohort for Children. We included children born in Wales between April 1, 1999 and December 31, 2008. The exposure was the number of residential moves from birth up to 1 year. The main outcome was emergency admissions for potentially preventable hospitalizations (PPH) between the age of 1 and 5 years.



After adjustment for confounders, we identified that moving home frequently in the first year of life was associated with an increased risk of emergency PPH between the ages of 1 and 5 when compared with not moving. We found significant differences associated with ≥2 moves for the following: ear, nose, and throat infections (incidence risk ratio [IRR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-1.61); convulsions/epilepsy (IRR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.23-2.04); injuries (IRR, 1.33; 95% CI, 1.18-1.51); dehydration/gastroenteritis (IRR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.21-1.88); asthma (IRR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.19-2.16); influenza/pneumonia (IRR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.00-1.32); and dental conditions (IRR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.03-1.64) for ≥1 moves.



Children who move home in the first year of life are at substantially increased risk of emergency admissions for PPH in early childhood. Additional research that focuses on enhancing health and social support services for highly mobile families, educating parents about safety risks, and improving housing quality is warranted.
Patient and Population Health and Informatics Research, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea, United Kingdom; h.a.hutchings@swansea.ac.uk.
Hayley A
HA
Hutchings
Cochrane Institute of Primary Care and Public Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom;
Annette
A
Evans
Abertawe Bromorgannwg University Health Board, Swansea, United Kingdom;
Peter
P
Barnes
Farr Institute, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, United Kingdom; and.
Joanne C
JC
Demmler
Farr Institute, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, United Kingdom; and.
Martin
M
Heaven
Farr Institute, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, United Kingdom; and.
Melanie A
MA
Healy
Abertawe Bromorgannwg University Health Board, Swansea, United Kingdom;
Michelle
M
James-Ellison
Farr Institute, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, United Kingdom; and.
Ronan A
RA
Lyons
Public Health Wales NHS Trust, Carmarthen, United Kingdom.
Alison
A
Maddocks
Cochrane Institute of Primary Care and Public Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom;
Shantini
S
Paranjothy
Farr Institute, Swansea University Medical School, Swansea University, United Kingdom; and.
Sarah E
SE
Rodgers
Cochrane Institute of Primary Care and Public Health, Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom;
Frank
F
Dunstan
D002675:Child, Preschool; D016208:Databases, Factual; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014852:Wales