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Murphy A, Kirby A, De Blasio F. The economic impact of the introduction of universal rotavirus vaccination on rotavirus gastroenteritis related hospitalisations in children in Ireland. Vaccine 2023; 41:2656-2663. [PMID: 36948981 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE), a vaccine preventable disease, remains a common cause of severe gastroenteritis in children globally. Ireland introduced the universal rotavirus vaccination to the national immunisation programme in 2016. In this paper the economic impact on RVGE related hospitalisations amongst children under 5 years is examined. METHODS Using national data from all Irish public hospitals, an Interrupted Times Series Analysis (ITSA) compares RVGE hospitalisations amongst children under 5 years, pre- and post-vaccine introduction. Costs are estimated and ITSA results are compared to the counterfactual to estimate the economic impact of the vaccine. A probit model examines patient characteristics pre- and post-vaccine introduction. RESULTS Vaccine introduction coincided with lowered RVGE related hospitalisations. While this effect was delayed (1 year) there is evidence of a sustained impact. RVGE patients' post-vaccine introduction were likely to be over 2 years (p = 0.001) and length of stay was lower on average (p = 0.095). The counterfactual analysis revealed 492 RVGE hospitalisations were avoided on average annually since the introduction of the vaccine. This has an estimated economic value of €0.92 million per annum. CONCLUSIONS Following the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Ireland, hospitalisations for RVGE decreased significantly and those hospitalised were older and with a reduced length of stay on average. This has the potential for significant cost savings for the Irish healthcare system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aileen Murphy
- Department of Economics, Cork University Business School, University College Cork, Ireland
| | - Ann Kirby
- Department of Economics, Cork University Business School, University College Cork, Ireland.
| | - Federica De Blasio
- Department of Economics, Cork University Business School, University College Cork, Ireland
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Bencina G, Costantino C, Mameli C, Sabale U, Murtagh J, Newman R, Ahern A, Bhaila R, Sanchez AO, Martinon-Torres F, Carias C. Real-world impact of rotavirus vaccination in European healthcare settings: a systematic literature review. Expert Rev Vaccines 2022; 21:1121-1136. [PMID: 35708263 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2022.2075851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rotavirus is one of the most common pathogens causing diarrhea in children <5 years and has a major impact on childhood morbidity and mortality. Since the implementation of rotavirus vaccines into childhood immunization programs across Europe, there has been a reduction in rotavirus burden, including hospitalizations, outpatient cases, costs, and deaths. AREAS COVERED A systematic literature review identified publications describing the clinical and economic impact of rotavirus vaccinations across Europe, from their introduction in 2006 to the end of 2020. A total of 3,137 articles were identified, of which 46 were included in the review. Included articles reported the impact of rotavirus vaccination on disease in any age group. EXPERT OPINION Rotavirus vaccination has resulted in substantial reductions in hospitalizations and rotavirus-associated costs across Europe, particularly in children <5 years. There is some evidence of herd protection afforded to older age groups where vaccine uptake is high among infants, highlighting the potential for vaccination to confer a greater societal benefit as programs become more established. Increasing vaccination coverage and continuing investment in widespread rotavirus vaccination programs across countries will likely increase the substantial public health benefits associated with vaccination and further reduce the clinical and economic burden of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goran Bencina
- Center for Observational and Real-World Evidence (CORE), MSD, Madrid, Spain
| | - Claudio Costantino
- Department of Health Promotion, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Excellence Specialties "G. D'Alessandro," University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy.,Department of Science for Health Promotion and Mother Child Care, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Chiara Mameli
- Department of Pediatrics, Buzzi Children's Hospital, Milan, Italy.,Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Ugne Sabale
- Center for Observational and Real-World Evidence (CORE), MSD, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Janice Murtagh
- Medical Affairs Vaccines, Merck & Co., Inc, Kenilworth, NJ, USA
| | | | | | | | - Alejandro Orrico Sanchez
- Department of Vaccine Research, Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunitat Valenciana, FISABIO-Public Health, Valencia, Spain
| | - Federico Martinon-Torres
- Genetics, Vaccines and Infections Research Group (GENVIP), Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago, University of Santiago, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Department of Pediatrics, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Respiratorias (CIBER-ES), Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Carias
- Center for Observational and Real-World Evidence (CORE), Merck & Co., Inc, Kenilworth, NJ, USA
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McDonnell T, Nicholson E, Barrett M, Bury G, Collins C, Cummins F, Deasy C, Denny K, De Brún A, Hensey C, McAuliffe E. Policy of free GP care for children under 6 years: The impact on emergency department attendance. Soc Sci Med 2021; 279:113988. [PMID: 34022677 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.113988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 03/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Universal health coverage (UHC) aims to improve child health. Ireland, the only country in the European Union without universal access to primary care, introduced general practitioner (GP) care at no charge for children aged under six in 2015. This paper aims to evaluate the impact of this policy on attendance at the emergency department (ED). A difference-in-difference (DiD) analysis was applied to visit records of 367,000 paediatric patients at five hospitals over a period of five years, with treatment and control differentiated by age. DiD was also used to assess if GP referrals and the severity of presentations altered as a consequence of this policy. While existing research estimates that this policy increased attendance by children aged under six at general practice by over 25%, this policy did not lead to a reduction in ED attendance. Hospital level effects on attendance varied from no impact to increased attendance by children aged under six of 28.9%. While increased GP referrals, particularly for injury and medical reasons, indicated more patients presented to their GP prior to ED attendance, walk-ins without referral did not decrease. Attendance increased at both regional hospitals, which also had the highest proportion of GP referred visits. While the marginal probability of a visit being GP referred increased at four of the five hospitals in this study, only in two of these can the entire effect be attributed to the introduction of this policy (effects 1.4 and 1.8 percentage points). Previous unmet need, capacity constraints in general practice, regional variability in the GP to population ratio, restricted hours of access to GPs, coupled with faster access to diagnostics in the ED setting, may explain variability in the effect and why the expected reduction in ED attendances did not occur.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thérèse McDonnell
- IRIS Centre, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Emma Nicholson
- IRIS Centre, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Michael Barrett
- Children's Health Ireland at Crumlin, Dublin, Ireland; Women's and Children's Health, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland; National Children's Research Centre, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Gerard Bury
- School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Claire Collins
- Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), Dublin, Ireland
| | - Fergal Cummins
- ALERT, REDSPOT, Emergency Department, Limerick University Hospital, Limerick, Ireland
| | | | - Kevin Denny
- School of Economics & Geary Institute of Public Policy, University College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Aoife De Brún
- IRIS Centre, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin, Ireland
| | - Conor Hensey
- Children's Health Ireland at Temple St, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Eilish McAuliffe
- IRIS Centre, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health Systems, University College Dublin, Ireland
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Yandle Z, Coughlan S, Dean J, Tuite G, Conroy A, De Gascun CF. Group A Rotavirus Detection and Genotype Distribution before and after Introduction of a National Immunisation Programme in Ireland: 2015-2019. Pathogens 2020; 9:pathogens9060449. [PMID: 32517307 PMCID: PMC7350336 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens9060449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Immunisation against rotavirus infection was introduced into Ireland in December 2016. We report on the viruses causing gastroenteritis before (2015–2016) and after (2017–2019) implementation of the Rotarix vaccine, as well as changes in the diversity of circulating rotavirus genotypes. Samples from patients aged ≤ 5 years (n = 11,800) were received at the National Virus Reference Laboratory, Dublin, and tested by real-time RT-PCR for rotavirus, Rotarix, norovirus, sapovirus, astrovirus, and enteric adenovirus. Rotavirus genotyping was performed either by multiplex or hemi-nested RT-PCR, and a subset was characterised by sequence analysis. Rotavirus detection decreased by 91% in children aged 0–12 months between 2015/16 and 2018/19. Rotarix was detected in 10% of those eligible for the vaccine and was not found in those aged >7 months. Rotavirus typically peaks in March–May, but following vaccination, the seasonality became less defined. In 2015–16, G1P[8] was the most common genotype circulating; however, in 2019 G2P[4] was detected more often. Following the introduction of Rotarix, a reduction in numbers of rotavirus infections occurred, coinciding with an increase in genotype diversity, along with the first recorded detection of an equine-like G3 strain in Ireland.
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