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Hospital care for viral gastroenteritis in socio‐economic and geographical context in Sweden 2006–2013
Author(s) -
Lind Johannes,
Schollin Ask Lina,
Juarez Sol,
Hjern Anders
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.14429
Subject(s) - medicine , context (archaeology) , emergency department , pediatrics , hazard ratio , proportional hazards model , demography , confidence interval , psychiatry , paleontology , sociology , biology
Aim We investigated socio‐economic and geographical determinants of hospital care for viral gastroenteritis in young children. Method This is a register‐based study in a national birth cohort of 752 078 children 0–5 years of age in Sweden during 2006–2012. Hazard ratios ( HR ) of time to first admission and first episode of outpatient emergency department ( ED ) care with a diagnosis of viral gastroenteritis were estimated with Cox regression. Results The adjusted HR s for hospital admission with a diagnosis of viral gastroenteritis were increased when the mother was below 25 years at the birth of the child, 1.30 (95% CI : 1.24–1.35), had a short (<=9 years) education, 1.18 (95% CI : 1.12–1.23), a psychiatric disorder, 1.34 (95% CI : 1.30–1.39), and/or when parents were born outside Europe, 1.23 (95% CI : 1.18–1.29). In contrast, the disposable income of the family was only marginally associated with such hospital admissions. The pattern of HR s for outpatient ED hospital care was similar. Hospital care incidences for viral gastroenteritis differed considerably between Swedish counties. Conclusion Parental indicators associated with a lower level of health literacy increase the risk for hospital care due to gastroenteritis in young children. Information about oral rehydration should be provided in ways that are accessible to these parents.