Children’s Asthma Hospitalizations Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels

After a sharp drop in 2020 and 2021, childhood asthma hospitalizations statewide rebounded to pre-pandemic levels in 2022. That year, not including treat-and-release emergency room visits, there were more than 7,700 hospitalizations for asthma—a rate of almost 9 discharges per 10,000 children ages 17 and younger.

At the local level, wide variation in asthma hospitalization rates persisted over this period. In 2022, Fresno County saw more than 13 asthma hospitalizations per 10,000 children (up from 5.1 in 2020)—more than 3.5 times Santa Barbara County’s rate of fewer than 4 per 10,000 (up from 1.4 in 2020).

Similar to other standard health measures that have pointed to notable improvements in children’s well-being immediately after the COVID-19 outbreak (see trends in emergency room visits, cases of child maltreatment, and sexually transmitted infections), it’s not clear whether falling asthma hospitalizations in 2020 and 2021 were due to fewer children and families reporting problems and seeking treatment, or to social distancing measures that reduced children’s exposure to asthma triggers—such as exercise, outdoor allergens and pollutants, and viruses in school and child care settings—and in turn contributed to preventing serious attacks.

Whatever the reason for the decline, it appears to have been temporary. The latest data reinforce the urgent need for evidence-based strategies to improve asthma management, reduce hospitalizations, and address disparities in asthma burden.

Opportunities

Harnessing Local Data for Upward Mobility

Urban Institute’s Upward Mobility Initiative will host an in-depth look at its new Upward Mobility Data Dashboard on Wednesday, October 2, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. EDT. During this hybrid event, speakers will share the latest tools, research, and real-world examples of data-driven initiatives in communities.

California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) Annual Data Release

On Thursday, October 3, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. PDT, the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research will release data from the 2023 CHIS, which features more than 50 new topics and questions. Join CHIS’s principal investigator and director for a virtual discussion of some of the most notable findings.

Engaging Communities in Research and Policy on Structural Racism and Population Health

The Center for Antiracism Research for Health Equity at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health will convene its Ignite the Spark Scholars Program cohort on Friday, October 25, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. CDT. This hybrid event will bring together changemaking leaders from across the United States for a day of panels, workgroups, and networking opportunities.

Children’s Health Resources

How Do Children and Society Benefit From Public Investments in Children?

Public programs that invest in children generally have a positive return on investment for society, and some also eventually pay for their cost—and more—to government through increased tax revenues and decreased spending on criminal justice and public assistance programs for adults, says this new brief from Urban Institute.

Supporting Youth Economic Mobility Through Employment-Focused Strategies

WorkRise’s new report on youth economic mobility reviews the evidence of programs and practices that help young workers succeed and advance in the labor market. An accompanying research summary explores where further research could inform more effective programs, approaches, and policies to improve employment prospects for young people now and in the future.

Recently Released Data

We recently released data about asthma and health care. See links to the latest here.

Posted by kidsdata.org

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 26th, 2024 at 10:39 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.