Rural-urban disparities in health care costs and health service utilization following pediatric mild traumatic brain injury.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To compare health care costs and service utilization associated with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) in rural and urban commercially insured children.

Data source

MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Data, 2007-2011.

Study design

We compared health care costs and outpatient encounters for physical/occupational therapy, speech therapy, and psychiatry/psychology encounters 180 days after mTBI among rural versus urban children (<18 years).

Principal findings

A total of 387 846 children had mTBI, with 13 percent residing in rural areas. Adjusted mean total health care costs in the 180 days after mTBI were $2778 (95% CI: 2660-2897) among rural children, compared to $2499 (95% CI: 2471-2528) among urban children (adjusted cost ratio 1.11, 95% CI

SUBMITTER: Graves JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6407359 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature