Epidemia de influenza del año 2009 en un hospital pediátrico y costos médicos directos en menores de 5 años comparados con el período 2006-2008

Abstract

Introduction. Epidemic outbreaks of influenza occur every year and healthcare systems must amplify their response in accordance with available medical resources. This situation generates cost increases. During the recent influenza A pandemic, costs were likely to have been greater than in previous years. Objective. To estimate direct health costs of influenza-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 influenza-related costs for the years 2006 to 2009 using data from outpatient consultations and hospital admissions for Acute Respiratory Infections attributable to Influenza 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 influenza 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. Influenza-related costs were greater in 2009 than in previous years due to higher number of hospital admissions attributable to influenza A H1N1.