American Journal of Epidemiology Vol. 135, No. 3: 281-290
Copyright © 1992 by The Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health
research-article |
Hospitalizations Involving Gastroenteritis in the United States, 1985: The Special Burden of the Disease among the Elderly
1Division of Epidemiology, Emory University School of Public Health Atlanta, GA
2Viral Gastroenteritis Unit, Division of Wai and Rtekett-sial Diseases, Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control Atlanta, GA
Reprint requests to Dr. Roger Glass, Viral Gastroenteritis Unit, Division of Viral and Rickettsial Diseases, Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, 1600 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30333
While diarrheal disease is a well-recognized problem in children, its impact in the elderly has not been adequately assessed. Among the 4.06 million hospitalizations in 1985 in the McDonnell-Douglas Health Information System database, 98,185 hospitalizations, including 1,130 deaths, had gastroenteritis recorded as a discharge diagnosis. The authors analyzed the 87,181 hospitalizations and 514 deaths for which gastroenteritis was one of the top three diagnoses. Gastroenteritis was among the top three diagnoses in 9% of all hospitalizations of children 1–4 years of age, compared with 1.5– of hospitalizations throughout adulthood (
20 years). Only 0.05% of hospitalizations involving gastroenteritis were fatal for children younger than 5 years, compared with 3% in individuals 80 years or older. While children aged less than 5 years and adults aged 60 years or more each comprised one-fourth of hospitalizations involving gastroenteritis, the older group represented 85% of diarrheal deaths. Age was the most important risk factor for death subsequent to a hospitalization involving gastroenteritis (odds ratio = 52.6, 95% confidence interval 37.0–76.9 for age 70 years vs. <5 years). Gastroenteritis is a large, underemphasized public health problem among the elderly, among whom its case-fatality ratio is higher than in children. Am J Epidemiol 1992;135:281–90.
aged; diarrhea; gastroenteritis; geriatrics; hospitalization; mortality; risk factors
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  R. T. Trevejo, J. G. Courtney, M. Starr, and D. J. Vugia Epidemiology of Salmonellosis in California, 1990-1999: Morbidity, Mortality, and Hospitalization Costs Am. J. Epidemiol., January 1, 2003; 157(1): 48 - 57. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M Frühwirth, W Karmaus, I Moll-Schüler, S Brösl, and I Mutz A prospective evaluation of community acquired gastroenteritis in paediatric practices: impact and disease burden of rotavirus infection Arch. Dis. Child., May 1, 2001; 84(5): 393 - 397. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. C. King, R. E. Black, M. P. Doyle, K. L. Fritsche, B. H. Halbrook, O. A. Levander, S. N. Meydani, W. A. Walker, and C. E. Woteki Foodborne Illnesses and Nutritional Status: A Statement from an American Society for Nutritional Sciences Working Group J. Nutr., October 1, 2000; 130(10): 2613 - 2617. [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Schwartz, R. Levin, and R. Goldstein Drinking water turbidity and gastrointestinal illness in the elderly of Philadelphia J Epidemiol Community Health, January 1, 2000; 54(1): 45 - 51. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. D. Newman, J. Grupp-Phelan, D. K. Shay, and R. L. Davis Perinatal Risk Factors for Infant Hospitalization With Viral Gastroenteritis Pediatrics, January 1, 1999; 103(1): e3 - 3. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. L. Orlando Infectious Diarrhea Journal of Pharmacy Practice, April 1, 1997; 10(2): 75 - 89. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. E. Kilgore, R. C. Holman, M. J. Clarke, and R. I. Glass Trends of Diarrheal Disease--Associated Mortality in US Children, 1968 Through 1991 JAMA, October 11, 1995; 274(14): 1143 - 1148. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|