Pediatric Hospitalization for Varicella in an Italian Pediatric Hospital: How Much Does It Cost?
children
cost
hospitalization
varicella
Journal
International journal of environmental research and public health
ISSN: 1660-4601
Titre abrégé: Int J Environ Res Public Health
Pays: Switzerland
ID NLM: 101238455
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
17 11 2021
17 11 2021
Historique:
received:
19
08
2021
revised:
05
10
2021
accepted:
18
10
2021
entrez:
27
11
2021
pubmed:
28
11
2021
medline:
15
12
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Varicella is a common pediatric infection. Even if it generally has a benign course, it may complicate and require hospitalization. The aim of our study was to estimate the acute hospitalization cost (AHC) for varicella in the acute phase in a pediatric population. We calculated the AHC of pediatric patients admitted for varicella at Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy, from 1 November 2005 to 1 November 2020. In the study period, 825 pediatric patients affected by varicella were hospitalized. The mean hospitalization cost was EUR 4015.35 (range from EUR 558.44 to EUR 42,608.00). Among patients, 55% were unvaccinable due to either their age or their immunosuppression status. They would benefit from herd immunity, reducing the overall AHC by EUR 182,196,506. Since the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against varicella in Italy, we observed a significant reduction in AHC cost of 60.6% in 2019 and of 93.5% in 2020. Finally, from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we documented a decline of 81.2% and 76.9% in varicella hospitalization, compared to 2018 and 2019, respectively. Varicella AHC is an important economic and health assessment point and can be useful for improving preventive strategies.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Varicella is a common pediatric infection. Even if it generally has a benign course, it may complicate and require hospitalization. The aim of our study was to estimate the acute hospitalization cost (AHC) for varicella in the acute phase in a pediatric population.
METHODS
We calculated the AHC of pediatric patients admitted for varicella at Bambino Gesù Children Hospital, Rome, Italy, from 1 November 2005 to 1 November 2020.
RESULTS
In the study period, 825 pediatric patients affected by varicella were hospitalized. The mean hospitalization cost was EUR 4015.35 (range from EUR 558.44 to EUR 42,608.00). Among patients, 55% were unvaccinable due to either their age or their immunosuppression status. They would benefit from herd immunity, reducing the overall AHC by EUR 182,196,506. Since the introduction of the compulsory vaccination against varicella in Italy, we observed a significant reduction in AHC cost of 60.6% in 2019 and of 93.5% in 2020. Finally, from the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, we documented a decline of 81.2% and 76.9% in varicella hospitalization, compared to 2018 and 2019, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Varicella AHC is an important economic and health assessment point and can be useful for improving preventive strategies.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34831809
pii: ijerph182212053
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182212053
pmc: PMC8617963
pii:
doi:
Substances chimiques
Chickenpox Vaccine
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
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