Research in the Area of Asthma Reported from Health Systems Research Institute (Health Effects of the Asthma Care Program under the Universal Coverage Scheme in Children and Young Adults in Thailand): Lung Diseases and Conditions – Asthma

2022 APR 25 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Respiratory Therapeutics Daily News -- Investigators discuss new findings in asthma. According to news originating from Nonthaburi, Thailand, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, “This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the asthma care program available under the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS) in Thailand on hospital admissions per 100,000 population, its regional and seasonal variation, readmission within 28 days, and the asthma-specific fatality rate of patients aged 0-29 years in 2009-2016 compared with those in 2007-2008. A retrospective study was conducted using data sources from the UCS register and in-patient databases from the National Health Security Office (NHSO), Thailand.”

The news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Health Systems Research Institute: “Hospital admissions per 100,000 population was the highest among those aged 0-4 years, but the trends decreased from 470.8 to 288.1 per 100,000 population in 2010-2014. The hospital admission rates were high in Southern Thailand and common in rainy seasons. The readmission rates within 28 days slightly decreased in all age groups in 2016 compared to those in 2007. The case fatality rate of patients aged 20-29 years decreased from 0.40% in 2007 to 0.34% in 2016. The readmission rate within 28 days and case fatality rate were the highest in patients aged 20-29 years. In conclusion, the asthma hospital admission, readmission, and case fatality rates declined over time along with the investment in the asthma care program under the UCS in Thailand.”

According to the news reporters, the research concluded: “The highest hospital admission rates in patients aged 0-4 years and the readmission and case fatality rates in patients aged 20-29 years should be given more attention. Recordings of individual service utilization data in asthma patients, including quality of care provided, should be monitored to improve the asthma care system.”

For more information on this research see: Health Effects of the Asthma Care Program under the Universal Coverage Scheme in Children and Young Adults in Thailand. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 2022,19(4130):4130. (International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health - http://www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph). The publisher for International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health is MDPI AG.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19074130.

Our news editors report that additional information may be obtained by contacting Phatthanawilai Namuenhong Inmai, Health Insurance System Research Office, Health Systems Research Institute, Nonthaburi 11000, Thailand. Additional authors for this research include Tippawan Liabsuetrakul, Nao Ichihara, Hiroyuki Yamamoto, Jutatip Thungthong, Virasakdi Chongsuvivatwong, Hiroaki Miyata.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)