Analysis of the Pediatric Health Information System Database as a Surveillance Tool for Travel-Associated Infectious Diseases

Daniel Olson Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado; Department of Epidemiology, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado

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Meghan Birkholz Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado; Department of Epidemiology, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado

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James T. Gaensbauer Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado; Department of Epidemiology, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado

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Edwin J. Asturias Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado; Department of Epidemiology, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado

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James K. Todd Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado; Department of Epidemiology, Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, Colorado

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The Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database collects admission, diagnostic, and treatment data among 44 children's hospitals across the United States (U.S.) and presents an opportunity for travel-associated infectious disease (TAID) surveillance. We calculated cumulative incidence rates among children admitted to 16 PHIS hospitals for dengue, malaria, and typhoid, and pooled TAID using discharge codes from 1999 to 2012. We compared incidence rates before, during, and after the 2007–2009 economic recession. Among 16 PHIS hospitals during the study period (1999–2012), incidence of dengue and pooled TAID (malaria, dengue, typhoid fever) increased significantly, and rates of malaria and typhoid trended upward. Admissions for dengue and pooled TAIDs increased significantly among 16 children's hospitals across the United States from 1999 to 2012. The PHIS database may provide a useful surveillance tool for TAIDs among children in the United States.

Author Notes

* Address correspondence to Daniel Olson, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, 13123 E 16th Avenue, Box 055, Aurora, CO 80045. E-mail: daniel.olson@childrenscolorado.org

Financial support: Daniel Olson is supported by NIH/NCATS Colorado CTSI Grant Number ULI TR001082.

Authors' addresses: Daniel Olson, Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, E-mail: daniel.olson@childrenscolorado.org. Meghan Birkholz, Department of Epidemiology, Childrens Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, E-mail: meghan.birkholz@childrenscolorado.org. James T. Gaensbauer and Edwin J. Asturias, Department of Pediatrics, Center for Global Health, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, E-mails: james.gaensbauer@childrenscolorado.org and edwin.asturias@childrenscolorado.org. James K. Todd, Department of Epidemiology, Childrens Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO, and Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, E-mail: james.todd@childrenscolorado.org.

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