Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #113969

Laura R. Sangaré, MPH, Shabbir Ahmad, DVM MS PhD, Eugene R. Takahashi, PhD, and Michael Curtis, PhD. Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Branch, California Department of Health Services, 1615 Capital Avenue, MS 8304, P.O. Box 997420, Sacramento, CA 95899-7420, 916-650-0392, lsangare@dhs.ca.gov

We measured the rate of infant hospitalizations related to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in California, and investigated risk factors of RSV hospitalizations by race/ethnicity and payer source.

Analyses were of RSV-coded infant hospitalization data from the California Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development hospital discharge files for 1999-2002. All discharge records for infants less than one year of age with an ICD-9-CM code for any RSV related illness (466.11, 480.1, or 079.6) among any of the diagnosis fields were selected (n=37,529). Rates were expressed as the number of RSV-associated hospitalizations per 1,000 live births in the same calendar year.

Between 1999-2002 an average of 12.3% of all infant hospitalizations had an RSV-associated illness, making RSV the leading cause of infant hospitalizations. The crude odds ratios for RSV-associated hospitalizations by race/ethnicity were (reference=Asian/Pacific Islanders): African-American Non-Hispanic 2.8 (2.7-3.0), Hispanics 2.7 (2.6-2.8), White Non-Hispanic 2.3 (2.2-2.4), American Indians and 1.6 (1.3-2.0). Infants covered by Medicaid had a crude odds ratio of 2.1 (2.0-2.1) compared to infants covered by all other insurance. Females were less likely to be hospitalized, crude odds ratio = 0.7 (0.7-0.8). Median length of stay was 3 days among all race groups and payer sources. Charges totaled approximately $500 million over the study period.

RSV hospitalization rates were highest among African-American and MediCal insured infants. Interventions targeted at the higher risk groups during periods of peak transmission could prevent the development of disease severe enough to require hospitalization and could result in considerable savings of costs.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the impact that RSV has on infant hospitalizations in California
• Identify risk factors of RSV-associated infant hospitalizations in California

Keywords: Infant Health, Public Health Research

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.