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Demographic and Risk-Factor Differences between Users and Non-Users of Unscheduled Healthcare among Pediatric Outpatients with Persistent Asthma

Author

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  • Pavani Rangachari

    (Department of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, College of Allied Health Sciences, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA)

  • Dixie D. Griffin

    (Division of Allergy-Immunology and Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA)

  • Santu Ghosh

    (Department of Population Health Sciences, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA)

  • Kathleen R. May

    (Division of Allergy-Immunology and Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA)

Abstract

This study assesses differences between users and non-users of unscheduled healthcare for persistent childhood asthma, with regard to select demographic and risk factors. The objectives are to provide important healthcare utilization information and a foundation for future research on self-management effectiveness (SME), informed by a recently developed “holistic framework” for measuring SME in childhood asthma. An 18-month retrospective chart review was conducted on 59 pediatric outpatients with persistent asthma—mild, moderate, or severe, to obtain data on various demographic and risk factors, and healthcare use for each child. The study examined five types of “unscheduled” healthcare use. Users had non-zero encounters (at least one) in any of the five types; non-users had zero encounters (not even one) in all five types. Differences between users and non-users were assessed using contingency table and logistic regression analysis. There were 25 users and 34 non-users of unscheduled healthcare. Each severity category contained users and non-users. The only statistically significant finding was that the mild persistent category had fewer users than severe persistent ( p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between users and non-users for any other demographic or risk factor examined. After adjusting for asthma severity, there were no other significant differences between users and non-users of unscheduled healthcare. This is a crucial finding which suggests that something else is driving unscheduled healthcare use in these children, given there were users and non-users in each asthma severity category. These results provide impetus for future research on the role of other aspects of the "holistic framework" in explaining differences in uses of unscheduled healthcare in persistent childhood asthma.

Suggested Citation

  • Pavani Rangachari & Dixie D. Griffin & Santu Ghosh & Kathleen R. May, 2020. "Demographic and Risk-Factor Differences between Users and Non-Users of Unscheduled Healthcare among Pediatric Outpatients with Persistent Asthma," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-12, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:8:p:2704-:d:345582
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pavani Rangachari & Kathleen R. May & Lara M. Stepleman & Martha S. Tingen & Stephen Looney & Yan Liang & Nicole Rockich-Winston & R. Karl Rethemeyer, 2019. "Measurement of Key Constructs in a Holistic Framework for Assessing Self-Management Effectiveness of Pediatric Asthma," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-25, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Pavani Rangachari & Jie Chen & Nishtha Ahuja & Anjeli Patel & Renuka Mehta, 2021. "Demographic and Risk Factor Differences between Children with “One-Time” and “Repeat” Visits to the Emergency Department for Asthma," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Pavani Rangachari & Imran Parvez & Audrey-Ann LaFontaine & Christopher Mejias & Fahim Thawer & Jie Chen & Niharika Pathak & Renuka Mehta, 2023. "Effect of Disease Severity, Age of Child, and Clinic No-Shows on Unscheduled Healthcare Use for Childhood Asthma at an Academic Medical Center," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-25, January.

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    1. Pavani Rangachari & Jie Chen & Nishtha Ahuja & Anjeli Patel & Renuka Mehta, 2021. "Demographic and Risk Factor Differences between Children with “One-Time” and “Repeat” Visits to the Emergency Department for Asthma," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(2), pages 1-16, January.
    2. Pavani Rangachari & Imran Parvez & Audrey-Ann LaFontaine & Christopher Mejias & Fahim Thawer & Jie Chen & Niharika Pathak & Renuka Mehta, 2023. "Effect of Disease Severity, Age of Child, and Clinic No-Shows on Unscheduled Healthcare Use for Childhood Asthma at an Academic Medical Center," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-25, January.

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