ArticleBMC infectious diseases2026
Age-specific clinical profiles and economic burden of pediatric tuberculosis: a 5-year retrospective study in central China.
Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundResearch on the economic burden of pediatric tuberculosis (TB) remains scarce. This study aims to investigate the hospitalization characteristics, direct medical expenses, and key determinants of hospitalization costs in pediatric TB patients.
methodsWe conducted a retrospective analysis of the hospitalization information system of a tertiary specialized tuberculosis hospital in Hubei Province, China. We extracted hospitalization records of pediatric TB patients aged 0–14 years who were admitted between January 2018 and December 2022. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze the determinants of hospitalization expenses, using a binary outcome variable defined by whether the total hospitalization cost exceeded the median value.
resultsA total of 401 hospitalized pediatric TB cases were enrolled, with patients aged 0–4 years, 5–9 years, and 10–14 years accounting for 19.9%, 15.5%, and 64.6%, respectively. The median total hospitalization cost was 10,608 CNY (1485 USD), and the median out-of-pocket expense was 9248 CNY (1295 USD). Notably, the 10–14 years group had significantly higher median total hospitalization cost (12963 CNY, 1815 USD) and median out-of-pocket expense (10431 CNY, 1460 USD) than the 0–4 years group (8539 CNY, 1195 USD; 8124 CNY, 1137 USD, respectively) and 5–9 years group (8192 CNY, 1147 USD; 7180 CNY, 1005 USD, respectively, all P < 0.0001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that older age (10-14years: OR = 3.18, 95%CI: 1.02–9.90), surgical treatment (OR = 10.66, 95%CI: 4.91–23.13), multiple hospitalizations (2 hospitalizations: OR = 6.13, 95%CI: 2.43–15.51; ≥3 hospitalizations: OR = 17.81, 95%CI: 3.96–80.03), and longer hospital stays (OR = 11.04, 95%CI: 5.55–21.96) significantly increased hospitalization expenses.
conclusionsPediatric TB patients experience significant economic burden due to high overall hospitalization costs and substantial out-of-pocket expenses. Targeted interventions are urgently needed, including expanding medical insurance coverage for pediatric-specific anti-TB drugs and diagnostic items, and standardizing clinical diagnosis and treatment processes to reduce unnecessary medical expenditures. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER: Not applicable.
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