Infant Health Care Disruptions by Race and Ethnicity, Income, and Insurance During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: Research has found disruptions in pediatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic, likely exacerbating existing disparities, which has not been explored among infants. This study evaluated how infant health care was disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic overall and by race and ethnicity, income, and insurance type. METHODS: This cross-sectional study used the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System COVID-19 supplement with data from 29 jurisdictions to examine infant health care disruptions due to the pandemic: 1) well visits/checkups canceled or delayed, 2) well visits/checkups changed to virtual appointments, and 3) postponed immunizations. Unadjusted, weighted proportions of outcomes were calculated overall and by race and ethnicity, income, and insurance. We estimated multivariable odds ratios for the association between infant care disruptions and race and ethnicity, income, and insurance. RESULTS: Overall, among 12,053 parental respondents with infants born from April to December 2020, 7.25% reported cancelations or delays in infant well visits/checkups, 5.49% reported changes to virtual infant care appointments, and 5.33% reported postponing immunizations, with significant differences by race and ethnicity, income, and insurance type. In adjusted analyses, we found higher odds of canceling/delaying visits and postponing immunizations among non-Hispanic Black infants and infants whose parents were uninsured or had Medicaid-paid deliveries. The odds of switching to virtual appointments were significantly higher among Hispanic infants and infants whose parents had Medicaid-paid deliveries. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic particularly affected infant health care for non-Hispanic Black infants and infants whose parents were uninsured or had Medicaid, with important implications for addressing infant health inequities and improving health outcomes in the United States.

Financial strain and depression in the U.S.: a scoping review.

While the association between assets and depression has been established, less is known about the link between financial strain and depression. Given rising financial strain and economic inequity due to the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the role that financial strain plays in shaping population depression in the United States is particularly salient. We conducted a scoping review of the peer-reviewed literature on financial strain and depression published from inception through January 19, 2023, in Embase, Medline via PubMed, and PsycINFO, PsycArticles, SocINDEX, and EconLit via Ebsco. We searched, reviewed, and synthesized the literature on longitudinal studies on financial strain and depression conducted in the United States. Four thousand and four unique citations were screened for eligibility. Fifty-eight longitudinal, quantitative articles on adults in the United States were included in the review. Eighty-three percent of articles (n = 48) reported a significant, positive association between financial strain and depression. Eight articles reported mixed results, featuring non-significant associations for some sub-groups and significant associations for others, one article was unclear, and one article reported no significant association between financial strain and depression. Five articles featured interventions to reduce depressive symptoms. Effective interventions included coping mechanisms to improve one's financial situation (e.g., mechanisms to assist in finding employment), to modify cognitive behavior (e.g., reframing mindset), and to engage support (e.g., engaging social and community support). Successful interventions were tailored to participants, were group-based (e.g., they included family members or other job seekers), and occurred over multiple sessions. While depression was defined consistently, financial strain was defined variably. Gaps in the literature included studies featuring Asian populations in the United States and interventions to reduce financial strain. There is a consistent, positive association between financial strain and depression in the United States. More research is needed to identify and test interventions that mitigate the ill effects of financial strain on population's mental health.

Third-Grade Educational Outcomes of the Children of Adolescent Women.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate third-grade reading and math proficiency for children born to adolescent women compared with those born to non-adolescent women. METHODS: A statewide, retrospective cohort study was conducted in Rhode Island using third-grade year-end examination data from 2014 to 2017 as part of a statewide initiative to improve third grade reading levels. Children's third-grade reading and math proficiencies were compared between those born to nulliparous adolescent women (age 15-19 at the time of delivery), and nulliparous women 20 years or older at delivery. Bivariate analyses were conducted to compare maternal and child characteristics between adolescent and non-adolescent groups. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between having an adolescent mother and being proficient in reading and math after adjusting for lunch subsidy, core city residence, child race/ethnicity and sex. RESULTS: Of the 8,248 children meeting the inclusion criteria, 20% were born to adolescent women and the remaining 80% were born to non-adolescent women. After adjusting for potential confounders, children born to adolescent women were significantly less likely to be proficient in both reading (adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 0.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.71-0.83) and math (aRR 0.78, 95% CI: 0.72-0.85). CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: Children born to adolescent women had significantly lower rates of reading and math proficiency when compared with children of non-adolescent women. These children may benefit from additional resources focused on early academic performance in order to address disparities in reading and math proficiency.

A systematic review of the qualitative literature on barriers to high-quality prenatal and postpartum care among low-income women.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the qualitative literature on low-income women's perspectives on the barriers to high-quality prenatal and postpartum care. DATA SOURCES AND STUDY SETTING: We performed searches in PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, SocIndex, and CINAHL for peer-reviewed studies published between 1990 and 2021. STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review of qualitative studies with participants who were currently pregnant or had delivered within the past 2 years and identified as low-income at delivery. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS: Two reviewers independently assessed studies for inclusion, evaluated study quality, and extracted information on study design and themes. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We identified 34 studies that met inclusion criteria, including 23 focused on prenatal care, 6 on postpartum care, and 5 on both. The most frequently mentioned barriers to prenatal and postpartum care were structural. These included delays in gaining pregnancy-related Medicaid coverage, challenges finding providers who would accept Medicaid, lack of provider continuity, transportation and childcare hurdles, and legal system concerns. Individual-level factors, such as lack of awareness of pregnancy, denial of pregnancy, limited support, conflicting priorities, and indifference to pregnancy, also interfered with the timely use of prenatal and postpartum care. For those who accessed care, experiences of dismissal, discrimination, and disrespect related to race, insurance status, age, substance use, and language were common. CONCLUSIONS: Over a period of 30 years, qualitative studies have identified consistent structural and individual barriers to high-quality prenatal and postpartum care. Medicaid policy changes, including expanding presumptive eligibility, increased reimbursement rates for pregnancy services, payment for birth doula support, and extension of postpartum coverage, may help overcome these challenges.

Association between maternal hypertensive disorders, fetal growth and childhood learning outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Both small for gestational age (SGA) birthweight and pregnancies complicated by maternal hypertension (HTN) are independently associated with poorer childhood learning outcomes, however the relative contribution of each remains unknown. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort was created in which 2014-2017 third grade Rhode Island Department of Education data were linked to Rhode Island Department of Health birth certificate data. The study population was composed of non-anomalous, singleton births between 22- and 42-weeks' gestation. Reading and math proficiency were compared among four groups: 1) appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and no maternal HTN (referent), 2) AGA with HTN, 3) SGA without HTN and 4) SGA with HTN. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Bivariable and multivariable log-binomial regression were used to examine the association between subject proficiency and pregnancy complication, adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS: Of the 23,097 who met inclusion criteria, 1004 (4%) were AGA with HTN, 1575 (7%) were SGA without HTN and 176 (1%) were SGA with HTN. Overall, when adjusted for maternal age, gestational age, sex and socioeconomic factors, only children born SGA without HTN had reduced reading proficiency (relative risk (RR) 0.86 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.78, 0.92) and math proficiency (RR 0.88 95% CI 0.82, 0.94) compared to children born AGA without HTN. CONCLUSION: In a diverse, statewide cohort, only SGA without HTN was associated with lower reading and math proficiency compared to uncomplicated pregnancies. This suggests that only decreased fetal growth from causes other than HTN is associated with risk of poorer school-age outcomes, and has implications for early resource allocation.

Neighborhood risk: Socioeconomic status and hospital admission for pediatric burn patients.

BACKGROUND: Burn injury continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality in the US pediatric population. Many studies using inpatient samples have found a relationship between low socioeconomic status (SES) and burn injury. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the association between SES and the likelihood of admission for Emergency Department (ED) visits for pediatric burn injury. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective database review of pediatric ED visits for burn injury from a statewide hospital system, from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2014. SES was assigned using an eight factor Neighborhood Risk Index (NRI) created from census block group data, with a higher score indicative of lower SES. The outcome measure was ED visits admitted to inpatient care. RESULTS: We analyzed a sample of 1845 pediatric ED visits for burn injuries. Most visits were discharged from the ED (88.4%) while 10.5% were admitted to inpatient care and 1.0% were transferred to another hospital. In a multivariable logistic regression model, patients from high risk areas (>75th percentile NRI) had 1.58 higher odds of inpatient admission compared to patients from low risk areas (<75th percentile NRI; 95% CI: 1.08-2.30), after adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, distance to the hospital, and previous ED visit for burn injury in the past 30 days. In addition, for every 1-mile increase in distance, a child's likelihood of admission increased by 6% (95% CI: 4-9%). CONCLUSIONS: Children with a burn injury from the highest risk socioeconomic areas in Rhode Island had a higher likelihood of inpatient admission. Further research is needed to determine what factors associated with socioeconomic status impact this finding.

Quality Management Strategies in Medicaid Managed Care: Perspectives From Medicaid, Plans, and Providers.

Medicaid managed care allows Medicaid beneficiaries to receive services through contractual relationships between managed care organizations and state Medicaid offices. Medicaid offices monitor quality of care, and many states encourage or require plans to adopt quality management practices. This research examines quality management in Medicaid managed care from the perspectives of Medicaid officials, managed care plan representatives, and providers through 25 qualitative interviews in one Northeastern state. Plan representatives described quality management efforts as robust and discussed strategies targeting providers and beneficiaries. Medicaid officials indicated motivations for plans to be responsible for quality management. Providers were unaware of plan efforts or reported them to be counterproductive since performance data were thought to be inaccurate or limited, and modest incentive programs presented excessive administrative burden. Providers' general skepticism about managed care plans' quality improvement efforts may hinder their effectiveness, cause frustration, and lead to administrative burden that may harm care quality.

Frequent Emergency Department Use by Children.

OBJECTIVES: Frequent use of the emergency department (ED) is often targeted as a quality improvement metric. The objective of this study was to assess ED visit frequency by the demographic and health characteristics of children who visit the ED to better understand risk factors for high ED utilization. METHODS: The majority of pediatric ED services in Rhode Island are provided by a hospital network that includes the state's only children's hospital. Using 10 years of data (2005-2014) from this statewide hospital network, we examined ED use in this network for all children aged 0 to 17 years. Patients' home addresses were geocoded to assess their neighborhood characteristics. RESULTS: Between 2005 and 2014, 17,844 children visited 1 or more of the network EDs at least once. In their year of maximum use, 67.8% had only 1 ED visit, 20.1% had 2 visits, 6.9% had 3 visits, and 5.2% had 4 or more visits. In the adjusted multinomial logistic regression model, age, race/ethnicity, language, insurance coverage, medical complexity, neighborhood risk, and distance to the ED were found to be significantly associated with increased visit frequency. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for frequent ED use by children include age, race/ethnicity, language, insurance coverage, medical complexity, neighborhood risk, and distance to the hospital. To decrease frequent pediatric ED use, improved medical management of complex medical problems is needed, but it is also essential to address modifiable social determinants of health care utilization in this population.

Low assets and financial stressors associated with higher depression during COVID-19 in a nationally representative sample of US adults.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 and related containment policies have caused or heightened financial stressors for many in the USA. We assessed the relation between assets, financial stressors and probable depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Between 31 March 2020 and 13 April 2020, we surveyed a probability-based, nationally representative sample of US adults ages 18 and older using the COVID-19 and Life stressors Impact on Mental Health and Well-being survey (n=1441). We calculated the prevalence of probable depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (cut-off ≥10) and exposure to financial stressors by financial, physical and social assets categories (household income, household savings, home ownership, educational attainment and marital status). We estimated adjusted ORs and predicted probabilities of probable depression across assets categories and COVID-19 financial stressor exposure groups. RESULTS: We found that (1) 40% of US adults experienced COVID-19-related financial stressors during this time period; (2) low assets (OR: 3.0, 95% CI 2.1 to 4.2) and COVID-19 financial stressor exposure (OR: 2.8, 95% CI 2.1 to 3.9) were each associated with higher odds of probable depression; and (3) among persons with low assets and high COVID-19 financial stressors, 42.7% had probable depression; and among persons with high assets and low COVID-19 financial stressors, 11.1% had probable depression. Persons with high assets and high COVID-19 financial stressors had a similar prevalence of probable depression (33.5%) as persons with low assets and low COVID-19 financial stressors (33.5%). The more assets a person had, the lower the level of probable depression. CONCLUSION: Populations with low assets are bearing a greater burden of mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Operative vaginal delivery and third grade educational outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Operative vaginal delivery rates continue to drop nationally with many citing neonatal safety concerns as a primary driver of this decrease. Previous evidence on short-term neonatal outcomes does not support this concern. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to better understand the impact of delivery mode on childhood educational outcomes. STUDY DESIGN: A statewide retrospective cohort was created in which third grade Rhode Island Department of Education data for 2014 to 2017 were linked to Rhode Island Department of Health birth certificate data. Children's third grade reading and math proficiencies were compared by the mode of delivery listed in their birth certificates. The study population was limited to children who were term, singleton births without congenital anomalies. The mode of delivery was classified as operative vaginal (forceps or vacuum), primary cesarean, or spontaneous vaginal delivery. Children born via repeat cesarean delivery were excluded. Bivariate analyses were conducted to assess differences in demographic variables between mothers and children by mode of delivery and between reading and math proficiencies and mode of delivery. Bivariable and multivariable log-binomial regression was used to examine the association between subject proficiency and predictors including mode of delivery, gestational age, sex, race/ethnicity, and lunch subsidy. RESULTS: Of the 18,247 children who met the inclusion criteria, 6% were delivered by operative vaginal delivery, 19% by primary cesarean delivery, and the remaining 75% by spontaneous vaginal delivery. After adjustment for confounders including gestational age at delivery, child's race/ethnicity, sex, and socioeconomic factors, there was no difference in reading proficiency (adjusted risk ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 0.96-1.10) or math proficiency (adjusted risk ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.95-1.08) in those born by operative vaginal delivery compared with primary cesarean delivery, and no difference was found in either proficiency when spontaneous vaginal delivery was compared with primary cesarean delivery (reading, adjusted risk ratio, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.93-1.01; math, adjusted risk ratio, 0.98; 95% confidence interval, 0.94-1.01). CONCLUSION: Operative vaginal delivery was not associated with differences in later childhood educational outcomes after adjusting for baseline differences. This should assuage previous concerns about long-term safety outcomes after operative vaginal delivery and may assist in shared decision making when operative vaginal or primary cesarean delivery is being considered.

Neighborhood Inequality and Emergency Department Use in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Graduates.

Neonatal intensive care unit graduates residing in high-risk neighborhoods were at increased risk of emergency department use and had higher rates of social/environmental risk factors. Distances to primary care provider and emergency department did not contribute to emergency department use. Knowledge of neighborhood risk is important for preventative service reform.

Underlying Causes and Distribution of Infant Mortality in a Statewide Assessment from 2005 to 2016 by Infant, Maternal, and Neighborhood Characteristics.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to explore the leading causes and risk factors for infant mortality in a statewide study of infant deaths from 2005 to 2016. METHODS: Rhode Island Vital Statistics was linked with KIDSNET, a statewide-integrated child health information system. Descriptive analyses examined infant mortality rates as well as risk factors of infant, neonatal, and postneonatal death. A multivariable logistic regression model of the risk of infant mortality adjusting for risk factors was computed. RESULTS: The majority (74%) of infant deaths occurred during the neonatal period. The top cause of infant mortality was prematurity (20.4%). After adjustment, infants born <28 weeks had 38.1 higher odds of mortality compared to term infants (p<0.01). Low 5-minute Apgar score, birth defects, less than 10 prenatal visits, and low maternal weight gain were associated with higher odds of infant mortality (p<0.01). DISCUSSION: Substantial reductions in the infant mortality rate will require improving strategies to prevent preterm births as well as using factors identifiable at birth to focus prevention efforts on those at higher risk.

Establishing New Norms for Developmental Milestones.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pediatric surveillance of young children depends on providers' assessment of developmental milestones, yet normative data are sparse. Our objectives were to develop new norms for common milestones to aid in clinical interpretation of milestone attainment. METHODS: We analyzed responses to the developmental screening form of the Survey of Well-being of Young Children from 41 465 screens across 3 states. Associations between developmental status and a range of child characteristics were analyzed, and norms for individual questions were compared to guidelines regarding attainment of critical milestones from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). RESULTS: A contemporary resource of normative data for developmental milestone attainment was established. Lower developmental status was associated with child age in the presence of positive behavioral screening scores (P < .01), social determinants of health (P < .01), Medicaid (P < .01), male sex (P < .01), and child race (P < .01). Comparisons between Survey of Well-being of Young Children developmental questions and CDC guidelines reveal that a high percentage of children are reported to pass milestones by the age at which the CDC states that "most children pass" and that an even higher percentage of children are reported to pass milestones by the age at which the CDC states that parents should "act early." An interactive data visualization tool that can assist clinicians in real-time developmental screening and surveillance interpretation is also provided. CONCLUSIONS: Detailed normative data on individual developmental milestones can help clinicians guide caregivers' expectations for milestone attainment, thereby offering greater specificity to CDC guidelines.

Assessing the Association Between Maternal Education and Access to Pediatric Specialty Care.

Background. Timely access to pediatric specialty care continues to be a pervasive issue. We aimed to identify factors associated with unmet pediatric specialty care needs by assessing the association with maternal level of education. Methods. A sample was extracted from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health, which identified a subset of patients with unmet specialty care needs. Logistic regression models determined the strength of association between our sample and maternal level of education. Results. An estimated 12.5% of US children had unmet specialty care needs. Independent of confounding variables, children with mothers educated at a level of high school or less were 41% more likely to have unmet specialty care needs compared to those with mothers who were educated at a level greater than high school. Conclusions. Maternal level of education can be used as a risk factor to assess whether a child will have unmet specialty care needs.

Adolescent Access to Patient-Centered Medical Homes.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the distribution of patient-centered medical homes (PCMHs) among US adolescents, and to examine whether disparities exist among subgroups. STUDY DESIGN: Data on adolescents ages 12-17 years (n = 34 601) from the 2011-2012 National Survey of Children's Health were used in this cross-sectional study to determine what proportion had access to a PCMH. Multivariable logistic regression was used to calculate the odds of having a PCMH, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and special health care needs. Comparisons were made to distribution of PCMH in 2007. RESULTS: Although most US adolescents had a usual source of care (91%), only about one-half (51%) had access to a PCMH. Disparities in the prevalence of PCMHs were seen by race/ethnicity, poverty, and having special health care needs. There were lower adjusted odds in having a PCMH for Hispanic (aOR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.45-0.68) and black adolescents (aOR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.46-0.66) compared with white adolescents. Those living below 4 times the poverty level had lower adjusted odds of PCMH access. Adolescents with 3-5 special health care needs had lower adjusted odds (aOR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.35-0.52) of having a PCMH compared with adolescents without any special health care needs. Other than receiving family centered care, every component of PCMH was slightly lower in 2011-2012 compared with 2007. CONCLUSIONS: PCMH access was lower among minorities, those living in poverty, and those with multiple special health care needs. These disparities in PCMH access among these typically underserved groups call for further study and interventions that would make PCMHs more accessible to all adolescents.

Neighborhood Risk and Hospital Use for Pediatric Asthma, Rhode Island, 2005-2014.

INTRODUCTION: Studies consistently show that children living in poor neighborhoods have worse asthma outcomes. The objective of our study was to assess the association between negative neighborhood factors (ie, neighborhood risk) and pediatric asthma hospital use. METHODS: This retrospective study used data from children aged 2 to 17 years in a statewide (Rhode Island) hospital network administrative database linked to US Census Bureau data. We defined an asthma visit as an International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code of 493 in any diagnosis field. We used 8 highly correlated measures for each census-block group to construct an index of neighborhood risk. We used maps and linear regression to assess the association of neighborhood risk with average annual census-block-group rates of asthma emergency department visits and hospitalizations. We used multivariable analyses to identify child characteristics and neighborhood risk associated with an asthma revisit, accounting for the child's sociodemographic information, season, and multiple measurements per child. RESULTS: From 2005 through 2014, we counted 359,195 visits for 146,889 children. Of these, 12,699 children (8.6%) had one or more asthma visits. Linear regression results showed 1.18 (95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.30) more average annual emergency departments visits per 100 children and 0.41 (95% confidence interval, 0.34-0.47) more average annual hospitalizations per 100 children in neighborhoods in the highest-risk index quintile than in neighborhoods in the lowest-risk index quintile. CONCLUSION: Interventions to improve asthma outcomes among children should move beyond primary care or clinic settings and involve a careful evaluation of social context and environmental triggers.

Qualitative perspectives of primary care providers who treat Medicaid managed care patients.

BACKGROUND: Declining job satisfaction and concurrent reductions in Medicaid participation among primary care providers have been documented, but there is limited qualitative work detailing their first-hand experiences treating Medicaid patients. The objective of this study is to describe the experiences of some primary care providers who treat Medicaid patients using in-depth qualitative analysis. METHODS: We conducted qualitative interviews with 15 primary care providers treating Medicaid patients in a Northeastern state. Participant recruitment efforts focused on including different types of primary care providers practicing in diverse settings. Qualitative interviews were conducted using a semi-structured interview protocol. We developed a coding scheme to analyze interview transcripts and identify themes. RESULTS: Providers expressed challenges effectively meeting their patients' needs under current policy. They described low Medicaid reimbursement and underinvestment in care coordination programs to adequately address the social determinants of health. Providers shared other concerns including poor access to behavioral health services, discontinuous Medicaid coverage due to enrollment and renewal policies, and limited reimbursement for alternative pain treatment. Providers offered their own suggestions for the allocation of financial investments, Medicaid policy, and primary care practice. CONCLUSIONS: Underinvestment in primary care in Medicaid may detract from providers' professional satisfaction and hinder care coordination for Medicaid patients with complex healthcare needs. Policy solutions that improve the experience of primary care providers serving Medicaid patients are urgently needed to ensure sustainability of the workforce and improve care delivery.

The Impact of Medicaid Managed Care Plan Type on Continuous Medicaid Enrollment: A Natural Experiment.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of assignment to a Medicaid-focused versus mixed managed care plan on continuity of Medicaid coverage. DATA SOURCES: 2011-2016 Medicaid claims from a Northeastern state. STUDY DESIGN: Following the exit of a Medicaid managed care insurer, Medicaid administrators prioritized provider networks in reassigning enrollees, but randomly assigned beneficiaries whose providers were equally represented in the two plans. We leveraged the natural experiment created by random plan assignment and conducted an instrumental variable analysis. DATA COLLECTION: We analyzed Medicaid claims for 12,083 beneficiaries who were members of the exiting Blue Cross Blue Shield plan prior to January 1, 2011. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Managed care plan type did not significantly impact continuous enrollment in the Medicaid program. Greater outpatient utilization and the presence of a special need among children were associated with longer enrollment in Medicaid. CONCLUSIONS: Managed care plans did not differ in their capacity to keep Medicaid beneficiaries continuously enrolled in coverage, despite differences in plan features.

Pediatric Emergency Department Utilization and Reliance by Insurance Coverage in the United States.

OBJECTIVES: For many children, the emergency department (ED) serves as the main destination for health care, whether it be for emergent or nonurgent reasons. Through examination of repeat utilization and ED reliance (EDR), in addition to overall ED utilization, we can identify subpopulations dependent on the ED as their primary source of health care. METHODS: Nationally representative data from the 2010 to 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were used to examine the annual ED utilization of children age 0 to 17 years by insurance coverage. Overall utilization, repeat utilization (two or more ED visits), and EDR (percentage of all health care visits that occur in the ED) were examined using multivariate models, accounting for weighting and the complex survey design. High EDR was defined as having > 33% of outpatient visits in a year being ED visits. RESULTS: A total of 47,926 children were included in the study. Approximately 12% of children visited an ED within a 1-year period. A greater number of children with public insurance (15.2%) visited an ED at least once, compared to privately insured (10.1%) and uninsured (6.4%) children. Controlling for covariates, children with public insurance were more likely to visit the ED (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.40-1.73) than children with private insurance, whereas uninsured children were less likely (aOR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.51-0.81). Children age 3 and under were significantly more likely to visit the ED than children age 15 to 17, whereas female children and Hispanic and non-Hispanic other race children were significantly less likely to visit the ED than male children and non-Hispanic white children. Among children with ED visits, 21% had two or more visits to the ED in a 1-year period. Children with public insurance were more likely to have two or more visits to the ED (aOR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.19-1.98) than children with private insurance whereas there was no significant difference in repeat ED utilization for uninsured children. Publicly insured (aOR = 1.70, 95% CI = 1.47-1.97) and uninsured children (aOR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.49-2.42) were more likely to be reliant on the ED than children with private insurance. CONCLUSIONS: Health insurance coverage was associated with overall ED utilization, repeat ED utilization, and EDR. Demographic characteristics, including sex, age, income, and race/ethnicity were important predictors of ED utilization and reliance.

Differences in Presentation and Management of Pediatric Facial Lacerations by Type of Health Insurance.

INTRODUCTION: Limited data are available regarding differences in presentation and management of pediatric emergency department (PED) patients based on insurance status. The objective of the study was to assess the difference in management of pediatric facial lacerations based on medical insurance status. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective cohort study with universal sampling of patients with facial lacerations who were treated in an urban PED (45K visits/year) over a one-year period. Demographic features and injury characteristics for patients with commercial (private) insurance and those with Medicaid or Medicare (public) insurance were compared. RESULTS: Of 1235 children included in the study, 667 (54%) had private insurance and 485 (39%) had public insurance. The two groups did not differ in age or gender, arrival by ambulance, location of injury occurrence, mechanism of injury, part of face involved, length or depth of laceration, use of local anesthetic, or method of repair but differed in acuity assigned at triage. Patients with public insurance were found less likely to have subspecialty consultation in bivariable (OR=0.41, 95% CI [0.24-0.68]) and multivariable logistic regression analyses (OR=0.45, 95% CI [0.25-0.78]). Patients with public insurance received procedural sedation significantly less often than those with private insurance (OR=0.48, 95% CI [0.29-0.76]). This difference was not substantiated in multivariable models (OR=0.74, 95% CI [0.40-1.31]). CONCLUSION: Patients with public insurance received less subspecialty consultation compared to privately insured patients despite a similarity in the presentation and characteristics of their facial lacerations. The reasons for these disparities require further investigation.