Hospital use by children in the United States and Canada.

The hospital discharge rate of children under 15 years of age is lower in the United States than in many other countries. This comparison of children's hospital use in the United States and Canada explores possible reasons for the relatively low discharge rate of U.S. children. Discharge rates are compared by age, sex, diagnosis, and surgical procedure. Morbidity and mortality rates are examined for indications that U.S. children are in better health than Canadian children and thus are less likely to need hospitalization. Characteristics of the health services systems in the two countries are investigated for evidence that ambulatory care is substituted for inpatient care in the treatment of U.S. children or that U.S. children have greater problems obtaining access to hospital care than Canadian children.