Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dlnhk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T22:53:57.048Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Readiness for an Increase in Congenital Zika Virus Infections in the United States: Geographic Distance to Pediatric Subspecialist Care

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 August 2018

Jeanne Bertolli*
Affiliation:
National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Atlanta, GA
Joseph Holbrook
Affiliation:
National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Atlanta, GA
Nina D. Dutton
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participation Program; Geospatial Research, Analysis, and Services Program, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Bryant Jones
Affiliation:
Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) Research Participation Program; Geospatial Research, Analysis, and Services Program, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Nicole F. Dowling
Affiliation:
National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Atlanta, GA
Georgina Peacock
Affiliation:
National Center for Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, Atlanta, GA
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to Dr Jeanne Bertolli, 1600 Clifton Road, MS E-88, Atlanta, GA 30329 (e-mail: [email protected]).

Abstract

Objective

The study’s purpose was to investigate readiness for an increase in the congenital Zika infection (CZI) by describing the distribution of pediatric subspecialists needed for the care of children with CZI.

Methods

We applied county-level subspecialist counts to US maps, overlaying the geocoded locations of children’s hospitals to assess the correlation of hospital and subspecialist locations. We calculated travel distance from census tract centroids to the nearest in-state children’s hospital by state (with/without > 100 reported adult Zika virus cases) and by regions corresponding to the likely local Zika virus transmission area and to the full range of the mosquito vector. Travel distance percentiles reflect the population of children < 5 years old.

Results

Overall, 95% of pediatric subspecialists across the United States are located in the same county or neighboring county as a children’s hospital. In the states where Zika virus transmission is likely, 25% of children must travel more than 50 miles for subspecialty care; in one state, 50% of children must travel > 100 miles.

Conclusion

The travel distance to pediatric subspecialty care varies widely by state and is likely to be an access barrier in some areas, particularly states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, which may have increasing numbers of CZI cases. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:476-486)

Type
Original Research
Copyright
Copyright © 2018 Society for Disaster Medicine and Public Health, Inc. 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Rasmussen, SA, Jamieson, DJ, Honein, MA, Petersen, LR. Zika virus and birth defects: reviewing the evidence for causality. N Engl J Med. 2016;374(20):1981-1987.Google Scholar
2. Krauer, F, Riesen, M, Reveiz, L, et al. Zika virus infection as a cause of congenital brain abnormalities and Guillain Barre syndrome: a systematic review. PLoS Med. 2017;14(1):e1002203.10.1371/journal.pmed.1002203Google Scholar
3. Likos, A, Griffin, I, Bingham, AM, et al. Local mosquito-borne transmission of Zika virus – Miami-Dade and Broward Counties, Florida, June-August 2016. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65:1032-1038.Google Scholar
4. Advice for people living in or traveling to Brownsville, Texas. Areas with risk of Zika, Zika in Texas. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/zika/intheus/texas-update.html. Published May 4, 2018. Accessed August 7, 2018.Google Scholar
5. Reynolds, MR, Jones, AM, Petersen, EE, et al. Vital signs: update on Zika virus – associated birth defects and evaluation of all U.S. infants with congenital Zika virus exposure – U.S. Zika Pregnancy Registry, 2016. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2017;66:366-373.Google Scholar
6. Calvet, GA, dos Santos, FB, Sequeira, PC. Zika virus infection: epidemiology, clinical manifestations and diagnosis. Curr Opin Infect Dis. 2016;29:459-466.Google Scholar
7. Cooper, LZ. Congenital rubella in the United States. In: Krugman S and Gershon AA, eds. Infections of the Fetus and Newborn Infant. New York: Alan R. Liss; 1975.Google Scholar
8. Cooper, LZ, Ziring, PR, Ockerse, AB, et al. Rubella: clinical manifestations and management. Am J Dis Child. 1969;118:18-29.Google Scholar
9. Broutet, N, Krauer, F, Riesen, M, et al. Zika virus as a cause of neurologic disorders. N Engl J Med. 2016;374:1506-1509.Google Scholar
10. Ziring, PR, Fedun, BA, Cooper, LZ. Letter: thyrotoxicosis in congenital rubella. J Pediatr. 1977;87:1002.Google Scholar
11. Ziring, PR, Gallo, G, Finegold, M, et al. Chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis: identification of rubella virus antigen in the thyroid of a child with congenital rubella. J Pediatr. 1977;90:419.10.1016/S0022-3476(77)80705-1Google Scholar
12. Forrest, JM, Menser, MA, Burgess, J. A high frequency of diabetes mellitus in young adults with congenital rubella. Lancet. 1971;2:332-334.Google Scholar
13. Chess, S, Fernandez, P, Korn, S. Behavioral consequences of congenital rubella. J Pediatr. 1978;93(4):699-703.Google Scholar
14. Members of the Baylor Rubella Study Group. Rubella: epidemic in retrospect. Hosp Pract. 1967;2(3):27-35.Google Scholar
15. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rubella in the U.S. https://www.cdc.gov/rubella/about/in-the-us.html. Published March 31, 2016. Accessed November 9, 2017.Google Scholar
16. American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrician Workforce Policy Statement. Pediatrics. 2013;132(2):390-397.10.1542/peds.2013-1517Google Scholar
17. Cannon, MJ, David, KF. Washing our hands of the congenital cytomegalovirus disease epidemic. BMC Public Health. 2005;5:70.10.1186/1471-2458-5-70Google Scholar
18. Houtrow, AJ, Larson, K, Olson, LM, et al. Changing trends of childhood disability, 2001-2011. Pediatrics. 2014;134:530-538.Google Scholar
19. Russell, K, Oliver, SE, Lewis, L, et al. Update: interim guidance for the evaluation and management of infants with possible congenital Zika virus infection – United States, August 2016. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2016;65:870-878.Google Scholar
20. Mayer, ML, Skinner, AC, Slifkin, RT. Unmet need for routine and specialty care: data from the National Survey of Children with Special Health Care Needs. Pediatrics. 2004;133:e109-e113.10.1542/peds.113.2.e109Google Scholar
21. Moore, CA, Staples, JE, Dobyns, WB, et al. Characterizing the pattern of anomalies in congenital Zika syndrome for pediatric clinicians. JAMA Pediatr. 2017;171(3):288-295.Google Scholar
22. Messina, JP, Kraemer, MUG, Brady, OJ, et al. Mapping global environmental suitability for Zika virus. eLife. 2016;5:e15272.10.7554/eLife.15272Google Scholar
23. Monaghan, AJ, Morin, CW, Steinhoff, DF, et al. On the seasonal occurrence and abundance of the Zika virus vector mosquito Aedes aegypti in the contiguous United States. PLoS Curr. 2016 Mar 16;8. doi:10.1371/currents.outbreaks.50dfc7f46798675fc63e7d7da563da76Google Scholar
24. Laboratory-confirmed symptomatic Zika virus disease cases and presumptive viremic blood donors reported to ArboNET by states and territories – United States. 2017; provisional data as of November 8, 2017. Zika cases in the US. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/united-states.html. Published November 8, 2017. Accessed November 9, 2017.Google Scholar
25. Children’s Hospital Association. Children’s hospital directory. https://www.childrenshospitals.org/Directories/Hospital-Directory. Accessed November 9, 2017.Google Scholar
26. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mosquito control. Estimated ranges of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus in the United States; 2016. https://www.cdc.gov/zika/vector/range.html. Accessed November 9, 2017.Google Scholar
27. Ray, KN, Bogen, DL, Bertolet, M, et al. Supply and utilization of pediatric subspecialists in the United States. Pediatrics. 2014;133(6):1061-1069.Google Scholar
28. Mayer, ML. Disparities in geographic access to pediatric subspecialty care. Matern Child Health J. 2008;12:624-632.Google Scholar
29. Mayer, ML, Skinner, AC. Influence of changes in supply on the distribution of pediatric subspecialty care. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(12):1087-1091.Google Scholar
30. Kuo, DZ, Houtrow, AJ. Council on Children with Disabilities. Recognition and management of medical complexity. Pediatrics. 2016;138(6):e1-e13.Google Scholar
31. Neff, JM, Sharp, VL, Popalisky, J, Fitzgibbon, T. Using medical billing data to evaluate chronically ill children over time. J Ambul Care Manage. 2006;29(4):283-290.Google Scholar
32. Sullivan, PB, Lambert, B, Rose, M, et al. Prevalence and severity of feeding and nutritional problems in children with neurological impairment: Oxford Feeding Study. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2000;42(10):674-680.Google Scholar
33. Sondheimer, JM, Morris, BA. Gastroesophageal reflux among severely retarded children. J Pediatr. 1979;94(5):710-714.Google Scholar
34. Murphy, N, Such-Neibar, T. Cerebral palsy diagnosis and management: the state of the art. Curr Probl Pediatr Adolesc Health Care. 2003;33(5):146-169.Google Scholar
35. The American Board of Pediatrics. Workforce data, 2015-2016. Chapel Hill, NC: The American Board of Pediatrics. 2016. https://www.abp.org/sites/abp/files/pdf/workforcebook.pdf. Accessed August 5, 2018.Google Scholar
36. Bitsko, RH, Visser, SN, Schieve, LA, et al. Unmet health care needs among CSHCN with neurologic conditions. Pediatrics. 2009;124(Suppl 4):S343-S351.10.1542/peds.2009-1255DGoogle Scholar
37. Kuo, DZ, Cohen, E, Agrawal, R, et al. A national profile of caregiver challenges among more medically complex children with special health care needs. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2011;165(11):1020-1026.Google Scholar
38. Kuo, DZ, Goudie, A, Cohen, E, et al. Inequities in health care needs for children with medical complexity. Health Aff (Millwood). 2014;33(12):2190-2198.Google Scholar
39. Health Resources and Services Administration. HRSA NHSC Zika Loan Repayment Program. https://www.nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/loanrepaymentprogram.html. Accessed November 9, 2017.Google Scholar
40. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention. Zika and pregnancy. https://www.cdc.gov/pregnancy/zika/family/links.html. Published March 29, 2017. Accessed August 5, 2018.Google Scholar
41. Olson, CA, McSwain, SD, Curfman, AL, Chuo, J. The current pediatric telehealth landscape. Pediatrics. 2018;141(3):e20172334.Google Scholar
42. American Telemedicine Association. 50 State telemedicine gaps analysis: physician practice standards and licensure. http://utn.org/resources/downloads/50-state-telemedicine-gaps-analysis-physician-practice-standards-licensure.pdf. Published February 2017. Accessed August 5, 2018.Google Scholar
43. Skinner, AC, Mayer, ML. Effects of insurance status on children’s access to specialty care: a systematic review of the literature. BMC Health Serv Res. 2007;7:194.Google Scholar
44. Rittenhouse, DR1 Mertz, E, Keane, D, Grumbach, K. No exit: an evaluation of measures of physician attrition. Health Serv Res. 2004;39(5):1571-1588.Google Scholar