Abstract

GIGLIO, Norberto D et al. Impact on the direct medical cost related to the infuenza virus during 2009 in children under 5 years compared to the period 2006-2008 in a pediatric hospital. Arch. argent. pediatr. [online]. 2012, vol.110, n.1, pp.19-26. ISSN 0325-0075.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5546/aap.2012.19.

Introduction. Epidemic outbreaks of infuenza occur every year and healthcare systems must amplify their response in accordance with available medical resources. This situation generates cost increases. During the recent infuenza A pandemic, costs were likely to have been greater than in previous years. Objective. To estimate direct health costs of infuenza-related illness during 2009 compared to costs expended in the previous 3-year period at Ricardo Gutiérrez Children's Hospital, City of Buenos Aires, Argentina. Materials and methods. We conducted a cross-sectional epidemiological study with retrospective control group to estimate infuenza-related costs for the years 2006 to 2009 using data from outpatient consultations and hospital admissions for Acute Respiratory Infections attributable to Infuenza virus in children under 5 years old. Incremental costs were estimated for the year 2009 compared to average costs for the period 2006-2008. Results. Total incremental cost of hospital admissions and outpatient consultations for infuenza was US$ 91512 for the year 2009 compared to average cost for 2006-2008 period (incremental cost of US$ 147560 for hospital admissions and US$ -56048 for outpatient consultations). Conclusions. Infuenza-related costs were greater in 2009 than in previous years due to higher number of hospital admissions attributable to infuenza A H1N1.

Keywords : Infuenza A virus H1N1 subtype; Health care costs.

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