Hospitalization Rates and Direct Medical Costs for Fever in a Pediatric Cohort in South India

BACKGROUND: Primary data on causes and costs of hospitalization are necessary for costing and cost-effectiveness analysis. Data on incidence and causes of hospitalization and consequent expenses among Indian children are limited. METHODS: A cohort of 6000 children aged 0.5–15 years residing in urban Vellore was followed for 3 years, under the Vellore Typhoid Study, 2016–2017, and later under the Surveillance for Enteric Fever project, 2017–2019. Data on hospitalization events and associated antibiotic use, and direct medical costs for fever-related hospitalization of study children were obtained from caregivers through weekly follow-up by study field workers. RESULTS: The incidence of hospitalization was 33 per 1000 child-years of observation. Children aged 0.5–5 years had the highest incidence of hospitalization. The top 5 infectious causes for hospitalization were acute undifferentiated fevers, respiratory tract infections, acute gastroenteritis, enteric fever, and dengue. The overall median cost of hospitalization for fever was 4243 (interquartile range, 2502–7215) Indian rupees (INR). An episode of dengue had a median cost of 5627 INR, followed by acute undifferentiated fevers and enteric fever with median costs of 3860 and 3507 INR, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalization for fever is common in young children and impacts household finances in low-income Indian households.