Research Efforts:
Abstract:
■As the burden of RSV in the U.S. alone contributes to nearly 100,000 of all hospitalizations and millions of dollars in healthcare expenses annually, post-pandemic RSV rates and severity of disease is seemingly worse on our nations’ healthcare systems (Hanish, et al. 2022.)
■Previous research has contributed the lack of viruses in circulation during the pandemic period in combination with mask-wearing, social distancing, heightened hand hygiene habits, and lack of maternal antibodies passed through passive immunity.
■Observations of pre-and-post-Covid-19 rates, severity of disease, and variables that represent structural racism and health disparities will be analyzed in this study.
Methods:
■This retrospective study involved the use of secondary deidentified health data provided by the data governance team at CHKD.
■The study utilized a maximum of 100 subjects, approximately 50% were male and 50% were female at birth.
■The inclusion criteria involved children and infants under the age of two that have been diagnosed with RSV. Children with or without healthcare insurance will be included for socioeconomic purposes. Exclusion criteria involves children that were not admitted to the hospital, children with co-viral illness, and had to be considered impatient status for a full 24 hours.
