Abstract
IntroductionAmbulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC) are conditions for which hospitalisation is thought to be avoidable with the use of effective preventive care and early disease management. The objective of this study was to estimate the rate of avoidable hospitalisations in children younger than 24 months of age participating in a Brazilian national representative survey and to identify the risk factors for such hospitalisations.MethodsWe analysed data from a cross-sectional study of 1901 children from the 2006 Brazilian National Demographic Health Survey of Women and Children (NDHS). The children’s socioeconomic, biological and maternal characteristics, nutritional status, and access to healthcare were tested; variables with p < 0.20 were selected to fit a Poisson regression.ResultsThe prevalence of avoidable hospitalisation was 11.8 % (95 % Confidence Interval [CI], 9.0, 15.2); the prevalence was higher in the Southeast (40.1 %) and Northwest (21.7 %) macro-regions. The multivariate model identified five risk factors for avoidable hospitalisation: male gender (Prevalence Ratio [PR] = 1.48, p = 0.004), low socioeconomic level (PR = 1.51, p = 0.005), children from mothers younger than 20 years of age (PR = 1.41, p = 0.031), not breastfed within the first hour of life (PR = 1.29, p = 0.034), and neonatal hospitalisation (PR = 1.66, p = 0.043).ConclusionsTo decrease the costs associated with avoidable hospitalisations, health managers and professionals should focus their efforts on providing effective primary healthcare to families of low socioeconomic levels, particularly prenatal and paediatric care, as well as encouraging breastfeeding and supporting young mothers. Strategies to improve children’s health by controlling such hospitalisations in Brazil should consider all residence areas and geopolitical macro-regions.
Highlights
Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC) are conditions for which hospitalisation is thought to be avoidable with the use of effective preventive care and early disease management
Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC), known as Potentially Avoidable Paediatric Hospitalisations (PAPH) when related to children and adolescents, are conditions for which hospitalisation is thought to be avoidable with the application of effective preventive care and early disease management, which is usually delivered in a primary care setting
The aim of this study was to estimate the rate of avoidable hospitalisations and to identify the associated risk factors in infants from the “Pesquisa Nacional de Demografia e Saúde da Criança e da Mulher”, a representative demographic health survey conducted by the Brazilian Ministry of Health [15]
Summary
Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions (ACSC) are conditions for which hospitalisation is thought to be avoidable with the use of effective preventive care and early disease management. Avoidable hospitalisation rates have been used as quality indicators of healthcare provided to populations, as access indicators of primary care, and as indicators of Infants have the greatest risk of being hospitalised for ACSC, in developing countries. This result can be explained by their immature development and specific health conditions related to physical growth and neurophychomotor development, resulting in a physiological vulnerability for illness [8, 11, 12]. Focusing in early childhood years is beneficial because it is the opportune time to intervene and prevent the longterm consequences of poor health [13].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
