ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the hospitalization time and family financial burden of children under 14 years old with severe asthma in this region. Methods Children under 14 years old with severe asthma who were admitted to our hospital from January 2017 to December 2019 as a result of an acute attack were selected in this study. Questionnaire surveys, hospital charging system, and follow-up methods were used to collect clinical data, length of hospital stay, and direct and indirect costs of the children with asthma. Stepwise regression was applied to analyze the factors influencing the total cost. Results A total of 206 children were enrolled from 2017 to 2019, including 117 males and 89 females, with an average age of (7.24±1.53) years old. The total age distribution mainly consisted of six months to 3 years old (33.01%), >3 to 4 years old (24.27%), and >6-13 years old (20.39%). The onset season was mainly autumn and winter (33.01%). The average length of hospital stay was (8.50±1.42) d. The annual average family cost was (6884.20±957.61) RMB. The length of hospital stay decreased year by year, while the total cost increased year by year (P<0.05). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that the length of hospitalization, antibiotic use time, and presence/absence of allergic rhinitis, pulmonary heart disease and GINA standard treatment were the related factors affecting the total cost in children with severe asthma (P<0.05). Conclusion From 2017 to 2019, the hospitalization time of children under 14 years old with severe asthma in this region decreased over time, while the total cost gradually increased. Shortening the hospitalization time, actively preventing and controlling complications, and standardizing treatment can effectively reduce the financial burden of children's families.