Infecciones respiratorias agudas en niños: costo para las familias y utilización de servicios

Abstract

This editorial comments on a recently published work about estimated cost for families related to hospitalisation of childrenwith acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) according to complexity and location of hospital. lt also explores family reasonsfor attending hospitals outside their programmatic area, even at risk of higher cost. lt also refers to the shortage of local coslrelated information and its importance in relation to sanitary and social issues. The catastroph¡c characteristics of an episodeof acute lower respiratory infection related hospitalisation for the families ¡n the study, 80% of which were of low socioeconomic background, are exemplified by the fact that 20-40% of total family income were spent during a single episode, thisaffecting in a higher degree those families with lowest socioeconomic situation.  Another aspects discussed here are related to spontaneous demand orientation outside provided local sanitary network.These networks usually rely on political and territorial considerations rather than functionality issues. The author states theneed of this type of economic analysis for planning and developing adequacy of health services offer in relation to population needs.