RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To identify where rural children with mental health conditions are hospitalized and to determine differences in outcomes based on location of hospitalization. STUDY DESIGN: This is a retrospective cohort analysis of US rural children aged 0-18 years with a mental health hospitalization between January 1, 2014, and November 30, 2014, using the 2014 Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Nationwide Readmissions Database. Hospitalizations for rural children were categorized by children's hospitals, metropolitan non-children's hospitals, or rural hospitals. Associations between hospital location and outcomes were assessed with logistic (readmission) and negative binomial regression (length of stay [LOS]) models. Classification and regression trees (CART) were used to describe the characteristics of most common hospitalizations at a rural hospital. RESULTS: Of 21 666 mental health hospitalizations of rural children, 20.6% were at rural hospitals. After adjustment for clinical and demographic characteristics, LOS was higher at metropolitan non-children's and children's hospitals compared with rural hospitals (LOS: adjusted rate ratio [aRR], 1.35 [95% CI 1.29-1.41] and 1.33 [95% CI, 1.25-1.41]; P < .01 for all). The 30-day readmission was lower at metropolitan non-children's and children's hospitals compared with rural hospitals (aOR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.63-0.84] and 0.59 [95% CI, 0.48-0.71]; P < .001 for all). Adolescent males living in poverty with externalizing behavior disorder had the highest percentage of hospitalization at rural hospitals (69.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Although hospitalizations at children's and metropolitan non-children's hospitals were longer, patient outcomes were more favorable.
Assuntos
Hospitalização , Transtornos Mentais/terapia , Adolescente , Criança , Pré-Escolar , Estudos de Coortes , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Masculino , Estudos Retrospectivos , População Rural , Estados UnidosAssuntos
Saúde da Criança , Ciência de Dados , Pesquisa sobre Serviços de Saúde , Pediatria , Criança , HumanosRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between postdischarge outpatient follow-up and 30-day readmissions in Medicaid enrolled children with complex, chronic conditions. STUDY DESIGN: This was a retrospective cohort analysis of Colorado Medicaid recipients with complex, chronic conditions who were discharged from the hospital between 2006 and 2008. The primary outcome was readmission between 4 and 30 days after index hospital discharge. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the association between early postdischarge outpatient visits (≤ 3 days postdischarge) and readmission. We secondarily analyzed the relationship between any outpatient visit from 4 to 29 days of index discharge and readmission. RESULTS: For the 2415 patients with complex, chronic conditions included in the analysis, the 4- to 30-day readmission rate was 6.3%. The odds of readmission was significantly greater for patients with ≥ 1 outpatient visit ≤ 3 days after discharge compared with patients without a visit ≤ 3 days after discharge (aOR 1.7 [1.1-2.4]). The odds of readmission were significantly lower for patients with ≥ 1 outpatient visit from 4 to 29 days after discharge compared with patients without such visits (aOR 0.5 [0.3-0.7]). Other factors associated with readmission included index hospital length of stay and number of complex, chronic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: In medically complex children, there is a positive association between early postdischarge outpatient follow-up and readmission. There is an inverse association between later postdischarge outpatient follow-up and readmission. Outpatient follow-up occurring within 4-29 days after discharge may help to prevent 30-day readmissions. Additional research is needed to inform guidelines regarding longer term postdischarge outpatient follow-up in these children.