Acute bronchitis was the most commonly treated condition in U.S. children aged 17 years and under in 2008, according to a report from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
A total of 11.9 million children received treatment for acute bronchitis at a cost of $2.7 billion in 2008. The five most commonly treated conditions – bronchitis, asthma, trauma-related disorders, otitis media, and mental disorders – accounted for 60.4% of all ambulatory visits among noninstitutionalized children, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) said.
At $12.2 billion, the total cost of treatment for mental disorders was the highest among the top five in 2008, even though it was the least common. The cost of asthma treatment was next at $9.3 billion, followed by trauma ($6.9 billion), bronchitis, and otitis ($2.3 billion), the AHRQ reported.
Total spending for the year on all conditions in children was $114.5 billion. The figures for these conditions include medical services such as ambulatory visits, inpatient stays, emergency care, prescription medications, and home health care visits, the AHRQ said.
Note: Based on data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.
Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality