Abstract
Background: Respiratory diseases are a major cause of global child and adolescent morbidity and mortality. Population-based surveillance of health services use can be used to quantify the burden of respiratory disease over time.
Objective: To describe trends in respiratory health services use among children and adolescents living in Ontario, Canada.
Methods: We conducted a population-based study using health administrative data. We estimated rates of emergency department (ED) visits and hospital admissions for respiratory diseases in Ontario residents aged 0-19 years from 2006-2016.
Results: From 2006-2016, the overall rate of respiratory ED visits increased by 19% (5.50 to 6.54 per 100), while the rate of respiratory hospital admissions decreased by 10% (3.74 to 3.36 per 1000). In 2016, respiratory conditions were the leading cause for ED visits in children under 1 year (20.91 per 100) and 1-4 years of age (12.68 per 100). Respiratory conditions were also the leading cause for hospital admissions in children aged 1-4 years (7.17 per 1000). From 2006-2016, bronchiolitis was consistently a leading cause for respiratory ED visits and hospital admissions in children under 1 year of age. In the same period, asthma was consistently a leading cause for respiratory ED visits and hospital admissions in children aged 5-14 years.
Conclusions: Among children and adolescents living in Ontario, Canada, the rate of respiratory ED visits increased from 2006-2016, while the rate of respiratory hospital admissions decreased. Bronchiolitis and asthma were consistently leading causes for respiratory health services use among infant and school-age children, respectively.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2019; 54: Suppl. 63, PA2771.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2019