The number of children admitted to hospital in England for acute throat
infections (ATI) increased by 76% between 1999 and 2010, according to new
research by the Imperial College London.
ATI, which includes acute tonsillitis and acute pharyngitis, is one of
the most common reasons for consulting a GP. Only a small proportion may
require hospital admission, as the majority of ATI can be managed at home or by
the GP.
The research showed that the number of children up to the age of 17
admitted to hospital with ATI increased from 12,283 in 1999 to 22,071 in 2010 –
a rise in admission rate of 76%. Short hospital stays, lasting less than two
days, increased by 115% over the decade, and accounted for the majority of
admissions. The study suggests that the dramatic increase in admissions could
be explained by children being admitted to hospitals instead of being treated
in the community.
The reasons for this may include changes in the provision of
out-of-hours care from GPs and an increase in workload in Accident and
Emergency (A&E) departments. The four hour maximum waiting time in A&E,
introduced in 2002, might have meant that doctors are more inclined to admit
children to hospital with an ATI instead of provide treatment themselves.
Dr Elizabeth Koshy, from the School of Public Health at Imperial College
London, who led the study, said the rise in hospital admissions for this type
of infection was concerning. "There is a need to urgently address the
issue of healthcare access, with improved models of integrated care within
primary and secondary care, to avoid potentially unnecessary hospital
admissions for relatively minor infections in the future," Koshy adds.
The Information Daily
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