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Reports Paints Picture of Waikato's Youngest Patients
Reports Paints Picture of Waikato's Youngest Patients
From autism to childhood cancer. A leading public health physician will tomorrow (Thursday) present a report, which analysed the health of Waikato Hospital’s youngest hospital patients between the 10 years 2000 to 2009.
Waikato District Health Board commissioned the report, The Health of Children and Young People with Chronic Conditions and Disabilities in The Waikato, to better understand and meet the needs of Waikato’s youngest and most vulnerable patients.
Dr Elizabeth Craig, director of New Zealand Child and Youth Epidemiology Service from the Dunedin School of Medicine, will present the report at 12.30pm at the Grand Round educational forum in the hospital’s Bryant Education Centre.
The report analyses Waikato Hospital admission data for children (aged up to 14 years) and young people (aged 15-24) between 2000 and 2009.
It is the third in a series of reports into the health of Waikato children and young people done by Dr Craig for Waikato DHB.
“This information is specific to the Waikato, and it helps us not only better serve Waikato families and Waikato children, but it supports us in talking to service providers,” says Ruth Rhodes, senior portfolio manager of planning and funding at Waikato DHB.
“We believe these reports are valuable; they are very detailed and evidence-based reports.”
The data for the period indicated that Waikato children had lower rates for hospital admissions for those with congenital anomalies at birth (such as Down syndrome and cardiovascular anomalies), developmental delays, epilepsy and autism, compared to other regions.
Admissions for cerebral palsy and cystic fibrosis were similar to the national average.
The leading causes of death for Waikato infants were extreme prematurity, sudden infant death syndrome and congenital anomalies – similar to the national average.
The number of Waikato Hospital admissions for children with injuries arising from assault, neglect or malnutrition was lower than the New Zealand average during the 2005-2009 period. Between 2000 and 2007, four Waikato children died because of assault, neglect or maltreatment.
The economic recession may be affecting the health of Waikato children; although hospitalisations for medical conditions and injuries among children declined during 2000 and 2007, admission rates for socioeconomically sensitive medical conditions (e.g. respiratory and skin infections), increased during the 2008-2009 period, with the largest increases seen among Maori and Pacific children.
In the Waikato, similar to the national picture, the most common cancer affecting children and young people (aged 0 to 24) was carcinoma in situ of the cervix (followed by leukaemia and melanoma).
Waikato DHB’s Community and Public Health Advisory Committee received the report today (Wednesday). http://www.waikatodhb.govt.nz/file/fileid/36478
Dr Craig will present to the Grand Round tomorrow from 12.30pm.
ENDS
Waikato District Health Board
Healthy People. Excellent Care
Waikato District Health Board (DHB) employs over 6500 people and plans, funds and provides hospital and health services to more than 391,770 people in a region covering eight per cent of New Zealand.
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