Are you listening? Kids' ear infections cost health care system nearly $3 billion a year

Acute otitis media, or ear infection, is the most common ailment among kids of preschool age and younger in the U.S., primarily because these children have immature middle-ear drainage systems, higher exposure to respiratory illnesses and undeveloped immune systems.   And because it's also the most common reason for antibiotic use among all children, the costs associated with acute otitis media (AOM) are under more scrutiny than ever by health care and government administrators, especially given today's political and economic climate,  strained health-care resources and cost-containment efforts.   While estimates of the economic impact of AOM have been formulated in the past, a new study by UCLA and Harvard University researchers is the first to use a national population database that gives a direct, head-to-head comparison of expenditures for pediatric patients diagnosed with ear infections and similar patients without ear infections.   The findings show that AOM is associated with significant increases in direct costs incurred by consumers and the health care system. With its high prevalence across the U.S., pediatric AOM accounts for approximately $2.88 billion in added health care expenses annually and is a significant health-care utilization concern.   The research is published in the current edition of the journal The Laryngoscope.   "Although the annual incidence of ear infection may be declining in the U.S., the number of kids affected re...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news