Abstract
Objective: To investigate the relationship between birth weight for gestational age and health care utilization of term offspring from birth to 7 years. Study design: We used a population-based retrospective cohort study of infants (≥37 weeks' gestational age) born between 2003 and 2007 in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia (n = 42 050). Perinatal records were linked to provincial administrative health data from birth to age 7 years. The primary outcome was health care utilization (physician visits and hospital admissions) and costs. Birth weight was categorized as small for gestational age (SGA, <10th percentile), appropriate for gestational age (AGA), or large for gestational age (LGA, >90th percentile). Regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used to investigate the associations. Results: Children born SGA had a higher number of specialist visits and hospital admissions, a longer length of stay for the birth admission, and, as a result, higher physician and hospital costs amounting to a cost differential of Can $1222 during the first 7 years of life compared with children born AGA. By contrast, health care use and costs did not differ between children born LGA and AGA. Conclusion: Former SGA term infants have a moderate increase in health care use and costs in early childhood compared with former AGA infants, and LGA birth at term is not associated with higher health care utilization.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Journal of Pediatrics |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Accepted/In press - 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The authors would like to thank the Reproductive Care Program of Nova Scotia and Health Data Nova Scotia for data access. This work was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research operating grant awarded to S.K. (FRN #134531). S.M. was supported by a CIHR New Investigator Award followed by a Tier II CIHR Canada Research Chair. M.B. received a Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Graduate Scholarship from the Government of Nova Scotia and a Scotia Scholar Doctoral Award from the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation. The funders had no role in study design; the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; the writing of the report; and the decision to submit the paper for publication. Portions of the data used in this report were made available by Health Data Nova Scotia of Dalhousie University. Although this research is based on data obtained from the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, the observations and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of either Health Data Nova Scotia or the Department of Health and Wellness. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research operating grant awarded to S.K. (FRN #134531). S.M. was supported by a CIHR New Investigator Award followed by a Tier II CIHR Canada Research Chair. M.B. received a Nova Scotia Research and Innovation Graduate Scholarship from the Government of Nova Scotia and a Scotia Scholar Doctoral Award from the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation. The funders had no role in study design; the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data; the writing of the report; and the decision to submit the paper for publication. Portions of the data used in this report were made available by Health Data Nova Scotia of Dalhousie University. Although this research is based on data obtained from the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, the observations and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of either Health Data Nova Scotia or the Department of Health and Wellness. The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Inc.
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article