Background
To improve early childhood health, resources must be directed towards causes of morbidity amenable to change.
Aim
To determine the rates, causes, length of stay for potentially avoidable hospital admissions (PAHA) in the first five years of life among all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children born in Western Australia between 2000-2013, and to examine the key associations with this morbidity.
Methods
Paediatric avoidable hospital admissions (ambulatory care sensitive and other) occurring from 29 days to 5 years of age were identified from hospital separation data linked to Midwives Notifications’ and other datasets (Defying the Odds study). Episodes of care were created and rates per 1000 person-years and for individuals were calculated. Length of stay was also determined.
Results
Preliminary results show that among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in WA in the first two years, the rate of PAHA was 278 per 1000 person-years of follow-up, and 101/1000 person-years during the ages 2-5 years. The leading causes of admissions were bronchiolitis, gastroenteritis, and upper respiratory infection in during the ages 29 days - <2years and dental, otitis media, and skin infections for the ages of 2-5 years. 43% of the children had at least one potential post-neonatal PAHA, and 10% had three or more. Mean length of stay was 2.7 (±3.9 SD) days.
Conclusions
This ongoing work will examine contributing factors for children, families and regions that are associated with risk of avoidable hospitalisations among Aboriginal children to direct prevention efforts and inform effective resource allocation.