The Association of Socioeconomic Status and Discharge Destination with 30-Day Readmission after Ischemic Stroke.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the association of socioeconomic status and discharge destination with 30-day readmission after ischemic stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We examined 30-day all-cause readmission among patients hospitalized for ischemic stroke in states of Arkansas, Iowa, and Wisconsin in 2016 and 2017 and New York in 2016 using Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases. RESULTS: Among the 52301 patients included, 51.1% were female. The 30-day readmission rates were 10.2%, 8.2%, 9.3%, 10.4%, 11.6%, and 11.2% for age group 18-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65-74, and ≥75 years, respectively (p<0.001). In Generalized Estimating Equation analysis, patients with Medicare and Medicaid insurance were more likely to be readmitted, compared with private insurance, (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 1.37, 95% CI 1.23-1.53; and aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.09-1.45, respectively). Patients in the bottom quartile of zip code level median household income had higher 30-day readmission rate (12.4%) than those in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quartile (10.3%, 10.1%, and 10.7%, respectively, p<0.001). Compared with those discharged home with self-care which had the lowest readmission rate (8.4%), patients who left against medical advice had the highest readmission rate (18.6%; aOR 2.23, 95% CI 1.75-2.83), followed by rehabilitation and skilled nursing facilities (13.2%; aOR 1.33, 95% CI 1.22-1.46), and home with home health care (11.3%, aOR 1.18, 95% CI 1.08-1.28). CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic status and discharged destination affect readmission after stroke. These results provide evidence to inform vulnerable patient population as targets for readmission prevention.

Association of Discharge Location Following Pediatric Tracheostomy with Social Determinants of Health: A National Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the breakdown of discharge locations among pediatric tracheostomy patients and determine the impact of demographic variables and social determinants of health. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective review of the 2016 and 2019 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database (HCUP KID). SETTING: A total of 4000 United States community hospitals, defined as short-term, non-Federal, general, and specialty hospitals. METHODS: ICD-10-PCS, ICD-10 CM codes, and HCUP data elements were selected for patients and variables of interest. Bivariate comparisons were performed using Rao-Scott Chi-square tests; significance levels in post hoc pairwise testing were adjusted using Bonferroni adjustment. Multinomial generalized logistic regression models were used to determine the average annual odds ratio (OR) of 3 dispositions at discharge relative to discharge home for self-care. RESULTS: Patients aged 11-17, patients from large metropolitan areas, and patients of "Other" race have an increased odds of discharge to a short- or long-term care facility (all P < .001). Weekend admissions, nonelective admissions, patients in Northeast hospitals, and patients at urban nonteaching hospitals are also more likely to be discharged to a short- or long-term care facility (all P < .001). Mean and median total costs of admission were $424,387 and $243,479, respectively, with a median total charge of $854,499. CONCLUSION: Among pediatric tracheostomy patients, demographic factors that affect discharge disposition include age, community type, and race, and significant hospital factors include day and type of admission, geographic region, and hospital type. Hospitalizations are associated with high overall costs and charges to the patient, which are increasing over time.

Disparities in access to hematopoietic cell transplant persist at a transplant center.

Disparities in access to hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) are well established. Prior studies have identified barriers, such as referral and travel to an HCT center, that occur before consultation. Whether differences in access persist after evaluation at an HCT center remains unknown. The psychosocial assessment for transplant eligibility may impede access to transplant after evaluation. We performed a single-center retrospective review of 1102 patients who underwent HCT consultation. We examined the association between race/ethnicity (defined as Hispanic, non-Hispanic Black, non-Hispanic White, and Other) and socioeconomic status (defined by zip code median household income quartiles and insurance type) with receipt of HCT and Psychosocial Assessment of Candidates for Transplantation (PACT) scores. Race/ethnicity was associated with receipt of HCT (p = 0.02) with non-Hispanic Whites comprising a higher percentage of HCT recipients than non-recipients. Those living in higher income quartiles and non-publicly insured were more likely to receive HCT (p = 0.02 and p < 0.001, respectively). PACT scores were strongly associated with income quartiles (p < 0.001) but not race/ethnicity or insurance type. Race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status impact receipt of HCT among patients evaluated at an HCT center. Further investigation as to whether the psychosocial eligibility evaluation limits access to HCT in vulnerable populations is warranted.

Nitrogen dioxide, an EPA parameter, may forecast the incidence of asthma exacerbations across urban areas: An observational study.

RATIONALE: Efforts to reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ) have the potential to reduce the morbidity and mortality related to asthma in children. We analyze the associations of pediatric hospital admission rates for asthma with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) NO2  parameters at the patient zip code level. METHODS: We identified zip codes that had EPA monitors which monitored NO2  levels located in states with high asthma burden. We used the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Database (SID) to identify patients who were <17 years of age with diagnosis codes for asthma. We compared NO2  levels at the zip code level with the number of patients hospitalized for asthma from the HCUP SID database. RESULTS: Data from zip codes in Buffalo, Detroit, Phoenix, and Tucson from 2009 to 2011 demonstrated that the monthly mean NO2  levels predicted pediatric asthma hospital admission rates in six monitored zip codes in these four cities with time series modeling (Buffalo zip code 14206, p = 0.0089; Detroit zip code 48205, p = 0.0179; Phoenix zip code 85006, p = 0.0433; Phoenix zip code 85009, p = 0.0007; Phoenix zip code 85015, p = 0.0036; Tucson zip code 85711, p = 0.0004). CONCLUSION: Pediatric admissions to the hospital for asthma exacerbations mirror the cyclic and seasonal pattern of NO2  levels in the cities of Detroit, Buffalo, Phoenix, and Tucson. While traffic density may be higher in cities with periodicity of NO2  and asthma exacerbations, other factors could be contributing to high NO2  levels.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome readmissions: A nationwide cross-sectional analysis of epidemiology and costs of care.

BACKGROUND: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome affects approximately 10% of patients admitted to intensive care units internationally, with as many as 40%-52% of patients reporting re-hospitalization within one year. RESEARCH QUESTION/AIM: To describe the epidemiology of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome who require 30-day readmission, and to describe associated costs. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of the 2016 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project's Nationwide Readmission Database, which is a population-based administrative database which includes discharge data from U.S. hospitals. Inclusion criteria: hospital discharge records for adults age > 17 years old, with a diagnosis of ARDS on index admission, with associated procedure codes for endotracheal intubation and/or invasive mechanical ventilation, who were discharged alive. Primary exposure is adult hospitalization for meeting criteria as described. The primary outcome measure is 30-day readmission rate, as well as patient characteristics and time distribution of readmissions. RESULTS: Nationally, 25,170 admissions meeting criteria were identified. Index admission mortality rate was 37.5% (95% confidence interval [CI], 36.2-38.8). 15,730 records of those surviving hospitalization had complete discharge information. 30-day readmission rate was 18.4%, with 14% of total readmissions occurring within 2 calendar days of discharge; these early readmissions had higher mortality risk (odds ratio 1.82, 95% CI 1.05-6.56) compared with readmission in subsequent days. For the closest all-cause readmission within 30 days, the mean cost was $26,971, with a total national cost of over $75.6 million. INTERPRETATION: Thirty-day readmission occurred in 18.4% of patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome in this sample, and early readmission is strongly associated with increased mortality compared to late readmission. Further research is needed to clarify whether the rehospitalizations or associated mortalities are preventable.

Identifying Migraine Phenotype Post Traumatic Headache (MPTH) to Guide Overall Recovery From Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: The primary aim of this study is to develop an easy way to identify migraine phenotype posttraumatic headache (MPTH) in children with traumatic brain injury, to treat headache in traumatic brain injury effectively, and to promote faster recovery from traumatic brain injury symptoms overall. Methods: We evaluated youth aged 7-20 years in a pediatric neurology traumatic brain injury (TBI) clinic, assigning a migraine phenotype for post-traumatic headache (MPTH) at the initial visit with the 3-item ID Migraine Screener. We stratified the sample by early (≤6 weeks) and late (>6 weeks) presenters, using days to recovery from concussion symptoms as the primary outcome variable. Results: 397 youth were assessed; 54% were female. Median age was 15.1 years (range 7.0-20.4 years), and 34% of the sample had sports-related injuries. Migraine phenotype for posttraumatic headache (MPTH) was assigned to 56.1% of those seen within 6 weeks of traumatic brain injury and 50.7% of those seen after the 6-week mark. Irrespective of whether they were early or late presenters to our clinic, patients with migraine phenotype (MPTH) took longer to recover from traumatic brain injury than those with posttraumatic headache (PTH) alone. Log rank test indicated that the survival (ie, recovery) distributions between those with migraine phenotype posttraumatic headache (MPTH) and those with posttraumatic headache (PTH) were statistically different, χ2(3) = 50.186 (P < .001). Conclusions: Early identification of migraine phenotype posttraumatic headache (MPTH) following concussion can help guide more effective treatment of headache in traumatic brain injury and provide a road map for the trajectory of recovery from traumatic brain injury symptoms. It will also help us understand better the mechanisms that underlie conversion to persistent posttraumatic headache and chronic migraine after traumatic brain injury.

Association of socioeconomic disadvantage and neighborhood disparities with clinical outcomes in multiple sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic disadvantage may be an important contributor to clinical outcomes in MS but is not well understood. Our objective was to examine the associations between Area Deprivation Index (ADI), a validated measure of neighborhood-level disadvantage, with clinical outcomes. METHODS: We assessed the longitudinal association between MS Performance Test (MSPT) and quality of life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) measures with ADI quartiles (Q1: lowest deprivation - Q4 highest deprivation) in relapsing remitting MS (RRMS) and progressive MS cohorts. RESULTS: Our study included 2,921 patients (65.8% RRMS and 34.1% progressive MS) with 13,715 visits. Patients living in the most disadvantaged areas had almost universal worsening on baseline MSPT and Neuro-QoL scores (p < 0.05) when compared to patients living in areas of lowest deprivation. Manual Dexterity Test (MDT) illustrated particular disparity as RRMS patients living in the greatest area of deprivation had MDT score which averaged 2.9 seconds longer than someone living in areas of least deprivation. Longitudinal analysis illustrated less favorable MSPT and Neuro-QoL outcomes across visits between Q1 versus Q4 ADI quartiles within in the RRMS cohort but not within the progressive MS cohort. After adjustment, linearly increasing area deprivation scores reflected less favorable Processing Speed Test (PST) and six Neuro-QoL outcomes among the RRMS cohort. Within the progressive cohort, higher deprivation was associated less favorable MDT, PST and 11 of 12 Neuro-QoL outcome measures. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence for socioeconomic disadvantage as a risk factor for disability accrual in MS and may be targeted to improve care while informing resource allocation.

320 Slice CT in Imaging of Congenital Heart Diseases in Infants: A Single-Center Experience.

Objective The study was conducted to evaluate the best possible imaging technique for neonatal cardiac imaging including optimal injection techniques, intravenous line placement, expected radiation dose, and need for sedation while performing the study on a 320 slice Toshiba® Aquilion ONE® scanner. Study results can be used to optimize imaging parameters for maximum clinical yield. We provide representative images of our cases. Methodology Cardiac CTs performed on infants less than one year of age at the time of study were evaluated. Data collection included radiation dose, duration of the scan, heart rate, type and route of contrast injection, need for sedation or general anesthesia and quality of study including image contrast and motion artifacts. Results Average age of infants at the time of scan was approximately two months. Prospectively gated volumetric scans performed within one heartbeat with a single gantry turn formed the majority of studies. Average effective dose was below 1 mSv. Several patients were scanned without any sedation. Most studies were deemed diagnostic and of superior quality on a 4-point scale. Qualitative image analysis revealed an excellent intraclass correlation between two raters. Conclusion Parameters needed for successfully performing cardiac CTs with a high degree of diagnostic quality in neonates were identified. For infants below a year hand injection of Isovue 300 in a 24 G peripheral upper extremity IV line with real-time contrast bolus monitoring and manual start to scanning is adequate when being scanned on a 320 slice Volumetric scanner with prospective auto-target EKG gating. Sedation may not be necessary for infants when wrap and feed techniques and free breathing are employed. Radiation doses utilizing this technique were uniformly low.

Analysis of anomalous head posturing in patients with infantile nystagmus syndrome.

PURPOSE: To investigate anomalous head posturing in patients with INS. METHODS: This was a prospective, cohort analysis of clinical and anomalous head posture (AHP) data in 34 patients with INS and an AHP. Particular outcome measures included measurement of AHP in three dimensions of pitch (anterior posterior flexion/extension), yaw (lateral rotation), and roll (lateral flexion) during best-corrected binocular acuity testing and during their subjective sense of straight. Patients were also queried as to their subjective sense of head posture in forced straight position and in their preferred AHP. The paired t test was used to determine significance in differences between measures. RESULTS: A total of 34 patients (19 males [56%]) 9-56 years of age (mean, 16.5 ± 6) were included. Associated systemic or ocular system deficits were present in 30 patients (88%). AHP during best-corrected visual acuity testing averaged 16.5° ± 8.20° (range, 10°-51°), which was significantly different from the mean voluntary "comfortable" position only in the pitch and roll directions (P < 0.001). There was a significant noncongruous response during subjective response to head posturing with most sensing their head as "crooked" (76.5%) when manually straightened (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical AHP of patients with INS exists in all three spatial dimensions of pitch, yaw, and roll. Although the visual system may be causally related to the onset, amount, and direction of a compensatory AHP in patients with INS, its persistence over time or after surgical intervention is likely due to a combination of visual system (eg, nystagmus, strabismus) and nonvisual system (egocentric and musculo-skeletal) factors.

Pilot study of a parent training program for young children with autism: the PLAY Project Home Consultation program.

The PLAY Project Home Consultation (PPHC) program trains parents of children with autistic spectrum disorders using the DIR/Floortime model of Stanley Greenspan MD. Sixty-eight children completed the 8-12 month program. Parents were encouraged to deliver 15 hours per week of 1:1 interaction. Pre/post ratings of videotapes by blind raters using the Functional Emotional Assessment Scale (FEAS) showed significant increases (p

Effects of end-of-month admission on length of stay and quality of care among inpatients with myocardial infarction.

PURPOSE: We studied whether transfer of care when house staff and faculty switch services affects length of stay or quality of care among hospitalized patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis in 976 consecutive patients admitted with myocardial infarction from 1995 to 1998. Patients who were admitted within 3 days of change in staff were denoted end-of-month patients. RESULTS: Of 782 eligible patients, 690 (88%) were admitted midmonth and 92 (12%) at the end of the month. The median length of stay was 7 days for midmonth and 8 days for end-of-month patients (P = 0.06). End-of-month admission was an independent predictor of length of stay in multivariate models. In addition, a significant difference in length of stay was noted between patients admitted at the beginning and end of the academic year. There were no statistically significant differences in the use of aspirin, beta-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, or lipid-lowering agents at discharge between midmonth and end-of-month patients. Mortality and in-hospital adverse events did not differ between the two groups, with the possible exception of a greater incidence of acute renal failure in the end-of-month patients. CONCLUSIONS: Although admission during the last 3 days of the month is an independent predictor of length of stay, it does not have a large effect on quality of care among patients with myocardial infarction.

Use patterns of low-molecular weight heparin and the impact on length of stay in patients hospitalized for atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Low-molecular weight heparin, although unproven as a protective anticoagulant in atrial fibrillation, is not uncommonly used in this clinical setting. This investigation sought to assess the prevalence of its use for atrial fibrillation and its impact on length of hospital stay. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patients admitted to the cardiology service at a university hospital with the primary diagnosis of atrial fibrillation was conducted for a 6-month interval in 3 consecutive years. Baseline demographic and clinical information, anticoagulation status, and length of hospital stay were compared. RESULTS: A total of 213 patients were identified and divided into 2 groups (before and after low-molecular weight heparin availability). Low-molecular weight heparin use increased with time (0% in 1997, 16.9% in 1998, 24.1% in 1999) and was associated with a significant reduction in length of hospital stay, from 3.3 +/- 2.8 days to 2.4 +/- 2.1 days (P =.03), and a trend toward a decreased international normalized ratio. CONCLUSIONS: This investigation noted the increasing trend toward the use of low-molecular weight heparin as a protective anticoagulant for atrial fibrillation, despite the lack of controlled data about its efficacy. The observed reduction in length of hospital stay is implicated as a potential reason for the use of low-molecular weight heparin.

Acute myocardial infarction in the young--The University of Michigan experience.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess frequency, risk factors, treatment, and complications of very young patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) at the University of Michigan Medical Center (UMMC). METHODS: From a database of 976 consecutive patients admitted to the UMMC with acute MI between 1995 and 1998, we compared care and outcomes of patients divided into 3 age categories: <46 years, 46-54 years, and >54 years. Risk factors, presenting symptoms, type of MI, management, complications, and hospital outcomes of the 3 groups were evaluated. RESULTS: Young patients represented >10% of all patients with acute MI, and >25% of these individuals were women, a number considerably higher than seen in previous studies. This group of young patients was more likely to have Q-wave MI and risk factors such as family history and tobacco use and less likely to have a history of angina. Although all 3 groups received similar inpatient treatment, there was more attention paid to risk factor modification such as smoking cessation and referral to cardiac rehabilitation in younger individuals. Young patients had fewer in-hospital complications and a lower mortality rate. CONCLUSIONS: At the University of Michigan, >1 in 10 with acute MI is <46 years old. Data suggest that current management and aggressive risk factor modification are quite good in this particular group, and overall the mortality rate is very low.

Primary care referral of children with psychosocial problems.

OBJECTIVES: To examine primary care provider referral patterns for patients with psychosocial problems and to understand the factors that influence whether a mental health referral is made. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of the Child Behavior Study data collected during 1994-1997 from background survey of providers, visit survey of providers and parents, and follow-up survey of parents. SETTING: Two hundred six primary care offices in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. PATIENTS: Four thousand twelve of 21 150 patients aged 4 to 15 years in the Child Behavior Study with a clinician-identified psychosocial problem. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Referral for psychosocial problem at index visit and reported follow-up with mental health care provider within 6 months. RESULTS: Six hundred fifty (16%) of 4012 patients with psychosocial problems were referred at the initial visit. In multivariate analysis, significant factors associated with likelihood of referral included patient factors (severity, type of problem, academic difficulties, prior mental health service use) and family factors (mental health referral of parent); however, none of the provider factors were significant. Clinicians reported frequent barriers to referral and mental health services in the general background survey; however, these factors were rarely reported as influences on individual management decisions. Only 61% of referred families reported that their child saw a mental health care provider in the 6-month period after the initial primary care referral. CONCLUSIONS: Most psychosocial problems are initially managed in primary care without referral. However, referral is an important component of care for patients with severe problems, and many families are not effectively engaged in mental health services, even after a referral is made.

Hearing and vision screening program for school-aged children.

BACKGROUND: Hearing and vision screening programs for school-aged children are common, yet little is known about their impact. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate Michigan's screening program, in which local health department (LHD) staff screen school-aged children using standardized protocols. METHODS: This project was completed in three phases: interviews with officials and screening technicians from ten LHDs, audit of LHD records regarding outcomes of screening during the 2000-2001 school year, and telephone interviews with randomly selected parents of children with an abnormal screen. RESULTS: Variations in LHD program implementation pertained to methods for tracking outcomes, screening of older children, parental notification of screening results, and availability of follow-up hearing clinics. According to LHD records, documentation of follow-up examination after an abnormal screen was low (hearing 27%, vision 25%). In contrast, most parents reported follow-up (74% hearing, 76% vision), and many reported that this resulted in treatment (50% hearing, 74% vision). In logistic regression modeling, the odds of follow-up after hearing or vision screening according to parents was not associated with income, health insurance status, or race/ethnicity. For hearing screening, the odds of follow-up decreased with school grade (p <0.001); however, the proportion who received treatment did not vary by grade. For vision screening, follow-up did not vary by grade, but the proportion who received treatment increased with grade (p =0.05). CONCLUSIONS: According to parent reports, most children had follow-up after an abnormal screen, and the majority of these children received treatment. Screening school-aged children for sensory impairment appears to be an important public health function.

Atrial fibrillation after coronary surgery: comparison between different health care systems.

AIMS: No studies have evaluated the influence of management strategies in different health insurance environments on atrial fibrillation (AF). This observational study compared the incidence of and treatment strategies for postoperative AF after primary coronary bypass surgery. METHODS AND RESULTS: One insurance and one public funded location was compared: University of Michigan Health Center (USA, n=272) and Tampere University Hospital (Finland, n=314). USA patients had more co-morbidities and were treated more aggressively after acute myocardial infarction. More Finns were on beta-blockers both preoperatively (93 vs. 68%, P<0.001) and postoperatively (97 vs. 66%, P<0.001). However, AF was more frequent among Finns (38 vs. 29%, P=0.037) and present on 4.6% of cases when transferred postoperatively. No USA patients had AF at time of discharge. Mean length of stay was 8.6 days at USA, and not affected by AF. The incidence of in-hospital death, strokes and multiorgan failures was similar. Multivariable analysis, adjusted for site and selection biases (propensity analysis) revealed increasing age [OR=1.063 (1.042, 1.084), P<0.0001] and use of radial arteries [OR=2.175 (1.071, 4.417), P=0.032) to be independent predictors to the incidence of postoperative AF. CONCLUSIONS: We found several major differences in patient selection and treatment strategies among primary coronary bypass patients managed in the two institutions. Despite the marked practice variation, the incidence of postoperative AF was rather similar. Despite routine use of beta-blockers, AF occurred in 29-38% of patients. However, the length of stay was not particularly affected by postoperative AF.

Diagnostic value of single versus dual chamber electrograms recorded from an implantable defibrillator.

INTRODUCTION: The clinical utility of ventricular electrograms in comparison to atrial and ventricular electrograms in diagnosing the type of tachycardias recorded by an implantable defibrillator has not been addressed from the standpoint of a clinician's diagnostic accuracy and confidence in that diagnosis. METHODS: Fifty-two tachycardia episodes recorded from dual chamber defibrillators were divided into two tests. The initial test contained only information from the ventricular electrogram and the second test contained information from both the atrial and ventricular electrograms. For each test, the reviewers were asked to provide the specific diagnosis, the originating chamber of origin of the tachycardia, and the confidence of their responses for each question. McNemar's test for matched pairs was used to determine accuracy and an analysis of variance to determine reviewer confidence. RESULTS: The overall accuracy for both the specific diagnosis (61% vs. 79%; p < 0.001) and the chamber of origin (76% vs. 90%; p < 0.001) improved when both the atrial and ventricular electrograms were available for review. Reviewer confidence appeared to correlate with diagnostic accuracy. CONCLUSIONS: The data clearly show the favorable impact of dual chamber defibrillators on the diagnostic accuracy and confidence of clinicians faced with a clinical tachycardia recorded from an implantable defibrillator. Such improvements may translate into more focused and appropriate therapeutic interventions.

Receipt of specialty eye care by children.

BACKGROUND: No nationally representative data are available regarding use of eye care services by children. OBJECTIVES: To determine the proportion of children who receive specialty eye care and to evaluate the association of such care with age and other factors associated with health care utilization. METHODS: We used the 2000 National Health Interview Survey to estimate the proportion of nonblind children who received eye care in the preceding 12 months. The association between eye care and the factors of interest among children aged 6-17 years was measured through adjusted bivariate comparisons and logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: Eye care was received in the preceding 12 months by an estimated 7.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.0-8.6) of the 22.8 million children aged 0-5 years and 24.8% (95% CI 23.5-26.2) of the 48.5 million children aged 6-17 years. Among children aged 6-17 years, girls had 29% greater odds than boys to have received eye care (P=.001). Among children <200% of the federal poverty level, those with public health insurance had greater odds of receiving eye care than did uninsured children or those with private health insurance (P<.001). Among children >200% of the federal poverty level, uninsured children had lower odds than did children with public or private health insurance (P<.004) to receive eye care. Well-child care was associated with increased eye care utilization among children aged 12-14 years (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Receipt of specialty eye care is common and increases with age. However, there are marked variations among school-aged children. Future studies should address the causes and effects of these findings.

Receipt of asthma subspecialty care by children in a managed care organization.

BACKGROUND: Although proper outpatient asthma management sometimes requires care from subspecialists, there is little information on factors affecting receipt of subspecialty care in a managed care setting. OBJECTIVE: To determine factors associated with receipt of subspecialty care for children with asthma in a managed care organization. METHODS: We conducted an analysis of the claims from 3163 children with asthma enrolled in a university-based managed care organization from January 1998 to October 2000. We used logistic regression analysis to determine factors associated with an outpatient asthma visit with an allergist or pulmonologist. RESULTS: Of the 3163 patients, 443 (14%) had at least 1 subspecialist visit for asthma; 354 (80%) were seen by an allergist, 63 (14%) were seen by a pulmonologist, and 26 (6%) were seen by both. In multivariate analysis, patients with more severe asthma (odds ratio [OR], 3.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.99-4.86) and older patients (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.02-1.07) were more likely to receive care from a subspecialist. Compared with Medicaid patients, both non-Medicaid patients with copayment (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.85-4.43) and non-Medicaid patients without any copayment (OR, 3.40; 95% CI, 2.35-4.93) were more likely to receive care from an asthma subspecialist. CONCLUSIONS: Children insured by Medicaid are less likely to receive care from subspecialists for asthma. Reasons may be due to health care system-related factors, such as accessibility of subspecialists, to physician referral decisions, and/or to patient factors, such as adherence to recommendations to see a subspecialist. Our findings suggest a need to further investigate health care system barriers, physician referral, and patient acceptance and completion of subspecialty referral.

Documentation of asthma severity in pediatric outpatient clinics.

National asthma guidelines recommend assessment and documentation of asthma severity at each clinic visit. A cross-sectional medical record review was conducted, which found that only 34% of records had any documentation of severity in the previous 2 years. However, severity documentation is associated with other indicators of quality care such as receipt of an action plan, spacer device, peak flow meter, asthma education, and influenza vaccination. These results suggest that use of a system for classifying asthma severity compels the physician to consider the long-term management of asthma, rather than just acute treatment of the disease. Interventions to improve physician practice should continue to emphasize severity assessment.