Hospitalizations and emergency room visits for adolescents and young adults with muscular dystrophy living in South Carolina.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Transitioning from adolescence to adulthood can be problematic for individuals with rare disabilities such as muscular dystrophy (MD).

Methods

We identified a cohort of 220 individuals with MD and 440 matched comparison individuals and measured emergency room (ER) and inpatient (IP) encounters for the years 2000 through 2010, using all-payer hospital discharge uniform billing data. We compared ER and IP use rates for people with and without MD, and for 15-19-year-olds with MD to 20-24-year-olds with MD.

Results

ER and IP use rates were significantly higher among individuals with MD than the comparison group. In addition, ER and IP use rates were significantly higher in the 20-24-year age group than in the 15-19-year group.

Conclusions

Additional re

SUBMITTER: Mann JR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4530078 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature