Complex chronic disease in hospitalized children was strongly associated with child-related medical financial burden for families compared to no chronic disease (AOR 4.98; 95% CI 2.41-10.29).
Cross-Sectional (n=526)
Yes
Financial difficulties are common among families of hospitalized children, particularly those with low income or children with chronic conditions.
Effect estimate: AOR 4.98 (95% CI 2.41-10.29)
BACKGROUND: High costs of hospitalization may contribute to financial difficulties for some families. OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of financial distress and medical financial burden in families of hospitalized children and identify factors that can predict financial difficulties. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Cross-sectional survey of parents of hospitalized children at six children's hospitals between October 2017 and November 2018. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The outcomes were high financial distress and medical financial burden. Multivariable logistic regression identified predictors of each outcome. The primary predictor variable was level of chronic disease (complex chronic disease, C-CD; noncomplex chronic disease, NC-CD; no chronic disease, no-CD). RESULTS: Of 644 invited participants, 526 (82%) were enrolled, with 125 (24%) experiencing high financial distress, and 160 (30%) reporting medical financial burden. Of those, 86 (54%) indicated their medical financial burden was caused by costs associated with their hospitalized child. Neither C-CD nor NC-CD were associated with high financial distress. Child-related medical financial burden was associated with both C-CD and NC-CD (adjusted odds ratio AOR, 4.98; 95% CI, 2.41-10.29; and AOR, 2.57; 95% CI, 1.11-5.93), compared to no-CD. Although household poverty level was associated with both measures, financial difficulties occurred in all family income brackets. CONCLUSION: Financial difficulties are common in families of hospitalized children. Low-income families and those who have children with chronic conditions are at particular risk; however, financial difficulties affect all subsets of the pediatric population. Hospitalization may be a prime opportunity to identify and engage families at risk for financial distress and medical financial burden.
Bassett et al. (Wed,) conducted a cross-sectional in Hospitalized children (n=526). Complex chronic disease (C-CD) vs. No chronic disease (no-CD) was evaluated on Child-related medical financial burden (AOR 4.98, 95% CI 2.41-10.29). Complex chronic disease in hospitalized children was strongly associated with child-related medical financial burden for families compared to no chronic disease (AOR 4.98; 95% CI 2.41-10.29).