Social factors associated with prolonged hospitalization among diabetic children.

OBJECTIVE: To determine social factors associated with increased risk of hospital admission from diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) or diabetic coma as well as risk of prolonged hospital stay.
METHODS: A cohort of all children (</=21 years) with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) in the National Inpatient Sample admitted for DKA or diabetic coma during 1996 or 1997 was conducted. Patients' age, race, gender, and insurance coverage were identified. Length of stay and charges were examined; prolonged length of stay was defined as >/=7 days.
RESULTS: A total of 8443 children with a primary hospital diagnosis of DKA and 123 children with type 1 DM and coma were identified; 55% of the children were girls, 32% were nonwhite, 29% received Medicaid insurance, and 33% resided in areas of poverty. Children with prolonged hospital stay were significantly more likely to be of nonwhite race (odds ratio [OR]: 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6-2.5), to receive Medicaid insurance (OR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1-1.7), to live in areas of poverty (OR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1-1.7), and to be of younger age.
CONCLUSIONS: When compared with state census data, nonwhite and poor children were more likely to be admitted with complications of DM and to have significantly prolonged and expensive hospital stays. These children should be targeted for intensive diabetes education and outpatient medical support both to improve their health and potentially to decrease total health care costs.