B Domínguez Aurrecoechea1, M Fernández Francés2, M Á Ordóñez Alonso3, P López Vilar4, J I Pérez Candás5, L Merino Ramos6, A Aladro Antuña7, F J Fernández López8, A M Pérez López5. 1. Centro de Salud de Otero, Oviedo, Asturias, España. Electronic address: begoa.dominguez@gmail.com. 2. Centro de Salud de La Corredoria, Oviedo, Asturias, España. 3. Centro de Salud de Pola de Laviana, Pola de Laviana, Asturias, España. 4. Centro de Salud Puerta de la Villa, Gijón, Asturias, España. 5. Centro de Salud de Sabugo, Avilés, Asturias, España. 6. Centro de Salud de Luanco, Luanco, Asturias, España. 7. Centro de Salud Mieres Norte, Mieres, Asturias, España. 8. Centro de Salud de Nava, Nava, Asturias, España.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Parents often ask paediatricians for advice about the best way to care for their children. There are discrepancies in the literature on this subject. The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of attending kindergartens on the risk of acute infections and the use of health care resources in children less than 24 months. POPULATION AND METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted on two cohorts of children 0-24 months (born between 1 January and 30 September 2010), who were grouped according to whether they attended kindergarten or not, and were usually seen in 33 pediatric clinics of the Principality of Asturias Public Health Service. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: A total of 975 children were studied, of whom 43.7% attended a kindergarten at 24 months. Attending kindergarten increases the risk of pneumonia by 131%, recurrent wheezing by 69%, bronchitis by 57%, and otitis media by 64%. Early exposure to kindergarten increases the risk of pneumonia from 2.31 to 2.81, and the mean emergency room visits from 1 to 2.3. The mean antibiotic cycle is 1.7 in children who do not go to kindergarten, 3.4 if started within the first 6 months, and 2 if they start at 18 months. Day-care attendance is a risk factor of infectious diseases that increases if attending kindergartens from an early age.
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Parents often ask paediatricians for advice about the best way to care for their children. There are discrepancies in the literature on this subject. The objective of this study is to evaluate the influence of attending kindergartens on the risk of acute infections and the use of health care resources in children less than 24 months. POPULATION AND METHODS: A prospective longitudinal study was conducted on two cohorts of children 0-24 months (born between 1 January and 30 September 2010), who were grouped according to whether they attended kindergarten or not, and were usually seen in 33 pediatric clinics of the Principality of Asturias Public Health Service. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: A total of 975 children were studied, of whom 43.7% attended a kindergarten at 24 months. Attending kindergarten increases the risk of pneumonia by 131%, recurrent wheezing by 69%, bronchitis by 57%, and otitis media by 64%. Early exposure to kindergarten increases the risk of pneumonia from 2.31 to 2.81, and the mean emergency room visits from 1 to 2.3. The mean antibiotic cycle is 1.7 in children who do not go to kindergarten, 3.4 if started within the first 6 months, and 2 if they start at 18 months. Day-care attendance is a risk factor of infectious diseases that increases if attending kindergartens from an early age.
Keywords:
Acute infections; Children under 2 years; Consumer health resources; Consumo de fármacos; Consumo recursos sanitarios; Drug consumption; Guarderías; Infecciones agudas; Kindergarten; Lactantes
Authors: Cristina Franco-Antonio; Esperanza Santano-Mogena; Sergio Cordovilla-Guardia Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2021-01-12 Impact factor: 3.390