Yi-Ju Tseng1, Aurel Cami1,2, Donald A Goldmann3,4, Alfred DeMaria5, Kenneth D Mandl1,2,6. 1. 1 Computational Health Informatics Program, Boston Children's Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts. 2. 2 Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts. 3. 3 Institute for Healthcare Improvement , Cambridge, Massachusetts. 4. 4 Division of Infectious Diseases, Boston Children's Hospital , Boston, Massachusetts. 5. 5 Bureau of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts. 6. 6 Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School , Boston, Massachusetts.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Lyme disease (LD) is the most commonly reported tick-borne illness in North America. To improve LD surveillance, we explored claims data as an adjunct data source for monitoring trends in Lyme disease incidence. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed claims from a nationwide US health insurance plan, identifying patients with newly diagnosed LD in 13 high-prevalence states over two time periods, 2004-2006 and 2010-2012. RESULTS: The average LD case incidence as estimated by using claims data in 2010-2012 (75.67 per 100,000 person-years, n = 3474) was 1.50 times higher than 2004-2006 (50.25 per 100,000 person-years, n = 1965) (p < 0.001) and higher than incidence reported by the states to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the 13 highest-prevalence states, there were 11 states with increased LD incidence over time. CONCLUSIONS: Surveillance systems should explore a fusion of data sources, including payer claims that appear to be highly sensitive with limitations, with electronic laboratory data that afford high specificity, but appear to miss cases.
OBJECTIVE:Lyme disease (LD) is the most commonly reported tick-borne illness in North America. To improve LD surveillance, we explored claims data as an adjunct data source for monitoring trends in Lyme disease incidence. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed claims from a nationwide US health insurance plan, identifying patients with newly diagnosed LD in 13 high-prevalence states over two time periods, 2004-2006 and 2010-2012. RESULTS: The average LD case incidence as estimated by using claims data in 2010-2012 (75.67 per 100,000 person-years, n = 3474) was 1.50 times higher than 2004-2006 (50.25 per 100,000 person-years, n = 1965) (p < 0.001) and higher than incidence reported by the states to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among the 13 highest-prevalence states, there were 11 states with increased LD incidence over time. CONCLUSIONS: Surveillance systems should explore a fusion of data sources, including payer claims that appear to be highly sensitive with limitations, with electronic laboratory data that afford high specificity, but appear to miss cases.
Authors: Amy M Schwartz; Kiersten J Kugeler; Christina A Nelson; Grace E Marx; Alison F Hinckley Journal: Emerg Infect Dis Date: 2021 Impact factor: 6.883
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