EFFECT OF READMISSIONS ON INCREASING HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS FOR ASTHMA IN CHILDREN

Background - Previous studies have reported increases in the number of hospital admissions for asthma in children. The aim of the present st udy was to examine the effect of readmissions on these increased hospi tal admissions and to investigate gender differences in asthma readmis sions. Methods - The Provincial Government of Saskatchewan provides un iversal health care to its residents. Hospital admissions data for ast hma were obtained from the Saskatchewan Health Department for all 134 hospitals in the province between 1980 and 1989. Age-specific and sex- specific hospital admission rates for asthma were calculated for each calendar year using first admissions and all admissions. The ratio bet ween the number of readmissions and all admissions in a year was defin ed as the readmission rate for that year. Results - Although rates bas ed on all admissions for asthma were greater than rates based on first admissions, trends and sex differences were similar for the two rates . Despite the higher hospital admission rates for boys aged 10-14 year s, girls in this age group had higher readmission rates for asthma fro m 1981 to 1989 (odds ratio (OR) 1 . 6 for girls; 95% confidence interv als (CI) 1 . 3 to 1 . 9). Similar increases were observed in readmissi on rates for asthma among children aged 5-9 years from 1985 to 1989 (O R 1 . 3 for girls; 95% CI 1 . 1 to 1 . 5). Conclusions - Readmissions for asthma do not seem to explain the increasing trend in hospital adm issions for asthma in children. in children aged 10-14 years girls had higher hospital readmission rates for asthma than boys, and further s tudies are required to find factors related to the increased readmissi ons among girls in this age group.