Risk of winter hospitalisation and death from acute respiratory infections in Scotland : national retrospective cohort study
Abstract
Objectives We undertook a national analysis to characterise and identify risk factors for acute respiratory infections (ARIs) resulting in hospitalisation during the winter period in Scotland. Design A population-based retrospective cohort analysis. Setting Scotland. Participants 5.4 million residents in Scotland. Main outcome measures Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between risk factors and ARI hospitalisation. Results Between September 1, 2022 and January 31, 2023, there were 22,284 (10.9% of 203,549 with any emergency hospitalisation) ARI hospitalisations (1,759 in children and 20,525 in adults) in Scotland. Compared to the reference group of children aged 6-17 years, the risk of ARI hospitalisation was higher in children aged 3-5 years (aHR=4.55 95%CI (4.11-5.04)). Compared to 25-29 years old, the risk of ARI hospitalisation was highest amongst the oldest adults aged ≥80 years (7.86 (7.06-8.76)). Adults from more deprived areas (most deprived vs least deprived, 1.64 (1.57-1.72)), with existing health conditions (≥5 vs 0 health conditions, 4.84 (4.53-5.18)) or with history of all-cause emergency admissions (≥6 vs 0 previous emergency admissions 7.53 (5.48-10.35)) were at higher risk of ARI hospitalisations. The risk increased by the number of existing health conditions and previous emergency admission. Similar associations were seen in children. Conclusions Younger children, older adults, those from more deprived backgrounds and individuals with greater numbers of pre-existing conditions and previous emergency admission were at increased risk for winter hospitalisations for ARI.
Citation
Shi , T , Millington , T , Robertson , C , Jeffrey , K , Katikireddi , S V , McCowan , C , Simpson , C R , Woolford , L , Daines , L , Kerr , S , Swallow , B , Fagbamigbe , A , Vallejos , C A , Weatherill , D , Jayacodi , S , Marsh , K , McMenamin , J , Rudan , I , Ritchie , L D , Mueller , T , Kurdi , A , Sheikh , A & Public Health Scotland and the EAVE II Collaborators 2024 , ' Risk of winter hospitalisation and death from acute respiratory infections in Scotland : national retrospective cohort study ' , Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine , vol. Online First . https://doi.org/10.1177/01410768231223584
Publication
Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine
Status
Peer reviewed
ISSN
0141-0768Type
Journal article
Description
Funding : This study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. This work also benefits from the infrastructure and partnerships assembled by HDR UK, including through the Data and Connectivity National Core Study, funded by UK Research and Innovation [grant ref MC_PC_20058].Collections
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