Epidemiologic trends in the hospitalization of elderly Medicare patients for pneumonia, 1991-1998

Objectives. This study determined hospitalization rates of elderly American s for pneumonia from 1991 through 1998. Methods. Epidemiologic data were described for 273 143 pneumonia hospitaliz ations. Results. Annual hospitalizations for aspiration pneumonia increased by 93.5 %. Pneumonia hospitalization rates increased steeply with age, especially a mong men. Black men were at highest risk for aspiration, unspecified, Klebs iella, "other gram-negative," and staphylococcal pneumonia; White men had t he highest Haemophilus and pneumococcal pneumonia rates. Among women, Black s predominated in aspiration and Klebsiella pneumonia; Whites had the highe st Haemophilus and bronchopneumonia rates. Conclusions. An epidemic of hospitalization for aspiration pneumonia smolde red over 8 years. Significant disparities existed in hospitalization risks by race, sex, and principal diagnosis.