englishmelon
Cost of gastroenteritis in Australia: A healthcare perspective
Using 2016 prices, the estimated annual direct per capita cost of acute gastroenteritis illness was AUD $14.87 (USD $10.71), equating to AUD $20.27 (USD $14.59) per case. The estimated overall economic burden in Australia was AUD $359 million (USD $258 million; AUD $1.5 million per 100,000 people). The major contributors to this cost were hospital admissions (57.1%), emergency department visits (17.7%), and general practitioner consultations (14.0%). Children under five years of age have the highest per capita rates of acute gastroenteritis illness; however, service utilisation rates vary by age group and both young children and older adults accounted for a substantial proportion of the overall economic burden attributable to acute gastroenteritis illness. Conclusions: Although chronic diseases comprise a large cost burden on the healthcare system, acute illnesses, including acute gastroenteritis illness, also impose substantial direct healthcare system costs. Providing data on current cost estimates is useful for prioritizing public health interventions, with our findings suggesting that it would be ideal if targeted interventions to reduce hospitalisation rates among young children and older adults were available.
You may have more than the usual 1 question below. Let’s play, seriously!
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Question of
In which group of the Australian population is acute gastroenteritis most prevalent?
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Children aged 5 years or less.
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Hospitalized patients of all age groups.
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It affects all groups equally.
Correct Wrong
Easy question! Although hospitalized patients of all age groups make a huge 57%, this could also mean that majority of this 57% is children below 5 years. The first 2 sentences are about the financial burden on Australia due to gastroenteritis. The third sentence, "Children under five years of age have the highest per capita rates of acute gastroenteritis illness..." is the only one highlighting the "per capita rates." Most of you would think "per capita" is about money or cost but it also means "per head rates of gastroenteritis. The rest of the sentences also deviate from this point, so the answer is A.
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