Carolina Lechosa-Muñiz1, María Paz-Zulueta2,3, María Sáez de Adana Herrero4, Elsa Cornejo Del Rio5, Sonia Mateo Sota6, Javier Llorca7,8,9, María J Cabero-Perez10,11. 1. Breastfeeding Coordinator, IBCLC, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, 39008 Santander, Spain. 2. Faculty of Nursing, Universidad de Cantabria, 39008 Santander, Spain. 3. IDIVAL, GI Derecho Sanitario y Bioética, GRIDES, 39008 Santander, Spain. 4. Supervisor, Gynecology Service, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, 39008 Santander, Spain. 5. Obstetrics Service, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, 39008 Santander, Spain. 6. Pediatrics Service, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, 39008 Santander, Spain. 7. Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Universidad de Cantabria, 39008 Santander, Spain. 8. IDIVAL, GI Epidemiología y Salud Pública, 39008 Santander, Spain. 9. CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain. 10. Pediatrics Section, Hospital Universitario Marqués de Valdecilla, 39008 Santander, Spain. 11. IDIVAL, Universidad de Cantabria, 39008 Santander, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is associated with lower risk of infectious diseases, leading to fewer hospital admissions and pediatrician consultations. It is cost saving for the health care system, however, it is not usually estimated from actual cohorts but via simulation studies. METHODS: A cohort of 970 children was followed-up for twelve months. Data on mother characteristics, pregnancy, delivery and neonate characteristics were obtained from medical records. The type of neonate feeding at discharge, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months of life was reported by the mothers. Infectious diseases diagnosed in the first year of life, hospital admissions, primary care and emergency room consultations and drug treatments were obtained from neonate medical records. Health care costs were attributed using public prices and All Patients Refined-Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG) classification. RESULTS: Health care costs in the first year of life were higher in children artificially fed than in those breastfed (1339.5€, 95% confidence interval (CI): 903.0-1775.0 for artificially fed vs. 443.5€, 95% CI: 193.7-694.0 for breastfed). The breakdown of costs also shows differences in primary care consultations (295.7€ for formula fed children vs. 197.9€ for breastfed children), emergency room consultations (260.1€ for artificially fed children vs. 196.2€ for breastfed children) and hospital admissions (791.6€ for artificially fed children vs. 86.9€ for breastfed children). CONCLUSIONS: Children artificially fed brought about more health care costs related to infectious diseases than those exclusively breastfed or mixed breastfed. Excess costs were caused in hospital admissions, primary care consultations, emergency room consultations and drug consumption.
BACKGROUND: Breastfeeding is associated with lower risk of infectious diseases, leading to fewer hospital admissions and pediatrician consultations. It is cost saving for the health care system, however, it is not usually estimated from actual cohorts but via simulation studies. METHODS: A cohort of 970 children was followed-up for twelve months. Data on mother characteristics, pregnancy, delivery and neonate characteristics were obtained from medical records. The type of neonate feeding at discharge, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 12 months of life was reported by the mothers. Infectious diseases diagnosed in the first year of life, hospital admissions, primary care and emergency room consultations and drug treatments were obtained from neonate medical records. Health care costs were attributed using public prices and All Patients Refined-Diagnosis Related Groups (APR-DRG) classification. RESULTS: Health care costs in the first year of life were higher in children artificially fed than in those breastfed (1339.5€, 95% confidence interval (CI): 903.0-1775.0 for artificially fed vs. 443.5€, 95% CI: 193.7-694.0 for breastfed). The breakdown of costs also shows differences in primary care consultations (295.7€ for formula fed children vs. 197.9€ for breastfed children), emergency room consultations (260.1€ for artificially fed children vs. 196.2€ for breastfed children) and hospital admissions (791.6€ for artificially fed children vs. 86.9€ for breastfed children). CONCLUSIONS:Children artificially fed brought about more health care costs related to infectious diseases than those exclusively breastfed or mixed breastfed. Excess costs were caused in hospital admissions, primary care consultations, emergency room consultations and drug consumption.
Entities:
Keywords:
artificial feeding; breastfeeding; cost of illness; economic evaluation
Authors: María Jesús Valero-Chillerón; Desirée Mena-Tudela; Águeda Cervera-Gasch; Víctor Manuel González-Chordá; Francisco Javier Soriano-Vidal; José Antonio Quesada; Enrique Castro-Sánchez; Rafael Vila-Candel Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2022-04-29 Impact factor: 4.614