Excess RSV hospitalization is associated more with poverty than with race or ethnicity

Article Outline

• Copyright

Using a 5-year California data base of hospitalizations associated with respiratory syncytial virus infection and population statistics, investigators found the expected two-fold higher rates of hospitalizations for RSV infection in MediCal (the national Medicaid program) users and minority populations. However, less expected analyses adjusted for payer source were that non-Hispanic Whites had the highest rates of RSV hospitalization among Medi-Cal users, and Hispanics had the highest rates of RSV hospitalization among non-MediCal users. African Americans and non-Hispanic Whites who did not have a MediCal payer had similar rates of hospitalization. One important shortcoming of the database is lack of information about gestational age at birth. Findings suggest that environmental factors associated with poverty may be more important risks than genetic susceptibility to severe infection.