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OBJECTIVES: Although families positively perceive family-centered rounds (FCR), factors associated with engagement have been examined in few studies. Our objective for this study was to test the hypothesis that inviting the parent to speak and nurse presence are associated with parent engagement during FCR. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study with English-speaking parents (N = 199) of inpatients on the pediatric hospital medicine service at an academic medical center. We used a standardized checklist to record outcomes of engagement (number of questions asked and participation occurrences), predictor variables (team invited parent to speak, nurse presence), and other encounter-related variables. Parents were surveyed to assess parent and child characteristics and experiences during FCR. We examined parent, child, and encounter characteristic associations with the above outcomes using bivariate analyses and (for those associated in bivariate analyses) Poisson regressions. RESULTS: Inviting the parent to speak was independently associated with the number of questions asked (incident rate ratio [IRR] 1.4; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–1.7). Trusting the medical team was inversely associated with questions asked (IRR 0.8; 95% CI 0.6–0.97). Factors associated with total participation included invitation for the parent to speak (IRR 1.5; 95% CI 1.3–1.6), nurse presence (IRR 1.3; 95% CI 1.1–1.5), white race (IRR 1.2; 95% CI 1.1–1.4), clerkship student presentation (IRR 1.2; 95% CI 1.03–1.3), and parent inclusion in rounding arrangement (IRR 1.5; 95% CI 1.05–2). CONCLUSIONS: Parents present during FCR are more engaged when invited to speak. Nurse presence was associated with total parent participation. Future studies to inform interventions to optimize engagement are warranted.

Parent use of technology to manage child health issues has the potential to improve access and health outcomes. Few studies have examined how parent health literacy affects usage of Internet and cell phone technologies for health management.Cross-sectional analysis of data collected as part of a randomized controlled experiment in 3 urban pediatric clinics. English- and Spanish-speaking parents (n = 858) of children ≤8 years answered questions regarding use of and preferences related to Internet and cell phone technologies. Parent health literacy was measured using the Newest Vital Sign.The majority of parents were high Internet (70.2%) and cell phone (85.1%) users (multiple times a day). A total of 75.1% had limited health literacy (32.1% low, 43.0% marginal). Parents with higher health literacy levels had greater Internet and cell phone use (adequate vs low: adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.7 [confidence interval, 1.2-2.5]) and were more likely to use them for health management (AOR, 1.5 [confidence interval, 1.2-1.8]); those with higher health literacy levels were more likely to use the Internet for provider communication (adequate vs marginal vs low: 25.0% vs 18.0% vs 12.0%, P = .001) and health-related cell phone apps (40.6% vs 29.7% vs 16.4%, P.001). Overall preference for using technology for provider communication was high (∼70%) and did not differ by health literacy, although Internet and cell phone apps were preferred by higher literacy parents; no differences were seen for texting.Health literacy-associated disparities in parent use of Internet and cell phone technologies exist, but parents' desire for use of these technologies for provider communication was overall high and did not differ by health literacy.

Health literacy plays a role in the events leading up to children's hospitalizations, during hospital admission, and after discharge. Hospitals and providers should use a universal precautions approach and routinely incorporate health-literacy-informed strategies in communicating with all patients and families to ensure that they can understand health information, follow medical instructions, participate actively in their own/their child's care, and successfully navigate the health care system. Interventions that incorporate health-literacy-informed strategies and that target patients/families and health care systems should be implemented to improve patient outcomes and patient-centered and family-centered care.

Objectives: Family-centered rounds (FCR) can improve communication and patient/family engagement. While use of informational resources (e.g., tablets, computers on wheels, paper notes) can guide FCR, there are limited data concerning parental perspectives on how use of these resources during FCR, or other factors, affect their engagement. Our objectives were to examine parental perspectives on factors that affect their participation during FCR and preferences for informational resources used. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study with English-speaking parents (n = 200), of pediatric inpatients at an academic medical center, present during FCR. We surveyed parents to ascertain factors they believed affect their engagement during FCR. We asked about their preferences regarding informational resources used by the medical team. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Parents described their reasoning behind resource preferences, and we categorized these responses. Results: Parents reported that participation was affected by: clarity of the medical team's explanations (78.5%), understanding the information (75.5%), the child's health (74.5%), and being asked for their input (71%). Few (25%) parents believed the informational resource affects participation. Tablets were the preferred resource (24%) due to portability and ease of use, although 56% of parents had no preference. Conclusions: Parents of hospitalized children placed importance on delivery of clear information and an "invitation" to participate during FCR. The resource used by the team was less important, although tablets were most preferred. Next steps are to examine factors associated with objective measures of participation and further study FCR in families with limited English proficiency.

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate patients who presented to the pediatric emergency department with an apparent life-threatening event (ALTE) to (1) determine if these patients would meet the criteria for brief resolved unexplained event (BRUE), a new term coined by the American Academy of Pediatrics in May, 2016; (2) risk stratify these patients to determine if they meet the BRUE low-risk criteria; and (3) evaluate outcomes of patients meeting the criteria for BRUE. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients who presented to a large urban academic center pediatric emergency department with an ALTE from January 2013 to May 2015 (before the publication of the BRUE guideline). Children ≤12 months of age were identified by the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth/Tenth Revision. Two physician reviews were performed to determine if patients met the ALTE diagnostic criteria. Data were then extracted from these charts to complete objectives. Results Seventy-eight patients met the diagnostic criteria for ALTE. Only 1 of those patients met the diagnostic criteria for BRUE, but not for low-risk BRUE. This patient underwent an extensive inpatient evaluation and was eventually discharged after monitoring with a benign diagnosis. Most patients did not meet the criteria for BRUE because the event was not unexplained. Conclusions Only 1 patient who presented to the ED with ALTE met the criteria for BRUE, and this patient did not meet the low-risk criteria. This study corroborates previous research on BRUE and continues to highlight the importance of conducting a thorough history and physical examination on all patients presenting to the ED with concerning events.

OBJECTIVES: To compare pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) hospitalizations in the United States to regional RSV activity and inpatient palivizumab administration. METHODS: We characterized inpatients, excluding newborns, with RSV from the Pediatric Health Information System (July 2010–June 2013). RSV regional activity timing was defined by the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System. RSV hospitalization season (defined by at least 3 SDs more than the mean regional baseline number of RSV hospitalizations for 3 consecutive weeks) was compared with RSV regional activity season (2 consecutive weeks with ≥10% RSV-positive testing). Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of hospitalization timing (ie, during or outside of regional activity season). We also assessed the timing of inpatient palivizumab administration. RESULTS: There were 50 157 RSV hospitalizations. Mean RSV hospitalization season onset (early November) was 3.3 (SD 2.1) weeks before regional activity season onset (early December). Hospitalization season offset (early May) was 4.4 (SD 2.4) weeks after activity season offset (mid-April). RSV hospitalization and activity seasons lasted 18 to 32 and 13 to 23 weeks, respectively. Nearly 10% of hospitalizations occurred outside of regional activity season (regional ranges: 5.6%–22.4%). Children with chronic conditions were more likely to be hospitalized after regional activity season, whereas African American children were more likely to be hospitalized before. Inpatient palivizumab dosing was typically initiated before the start of RSV hospitalizations. CONCLUSIONS: There is regional variation in RSV hospitalization and activity patterns. Many RSV hospitalizations occur before regional activity season; high-risk infants may require RSV immunoprophylaxis sooner.

Asthma is a leading cause of pediatric admissions. Although several factors including race have been linked to increased overall asthma morbidity and mortality, few studies have explored factors associated with inpatient asthma outcomes. We examined factors associated with mortality and morbidity in children admitted for asthma.Data were obtained from the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 2007 to 2011. Patients 2 to 18 years old with a primary diagnosis of asthma were included. Predictor variables were sociodemographic and hospital factors and acute/chronic secondary diagnoses. Outcomes were mortality, intubation, length of stay (LOS), and costs. Weighted national estimates were calculated. Multivariable analyses were performed.There were 97,379 (478,546 weighted) asthma admissions. Most patients were male (60.6%); 30% were white, 28% black, and 18% Hispanic. Mortality rate was 0.03%, and 0.3% were intubated. Median LOS was 2 (interquartile range, 1-3) days. Median costs were $2,950 (interquartile range, $1990-$4610). Native American race, older age (13-18 years), and West region were significant independent predictors of mortality. Intubation rate was lower in Hispanic compared with white children (P = .028). LOS was shorter in Asian compared with white children (P = .022) but longer in children with public insurance and from low income areas (P .001). Average costs were higher in black, Hispanic, and Asian compared with white children (P .05).With the exception of Native Americans, race/ethnicity is not associated with inpatient asthma mortality and has varied effects on morbidity. Recognition of factors associated with increased asthma mortality and morbidity might allow for earlier, more effective treatment and avoidance of complications.

OBJECTIVE: Pneumonia is a leading cause of pediatric admissions. While air pollutants are associated with poor outcomes, few national studies have examined associations between pollutant levels and inpatient pediatric pneumonia outcomes. We examined the relationship between ozone (O(3)) and fine particulate matter with a diameter ≤2.5μm (PM(2.5)) and outcomes related to disease severity. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we obtained discharge data from the 2007–2008 Nationwide Inpatient Sample and pollution data from the Air Quality System. Patients ≤18 years with a principal diagnosis of pneumonia were included. Discharge data were linked to O(3) and PM(2.5) levels (predictors) from the patient’s ZIP Code (not publicly available) from day of admission. Outcomes were mortality, intubation, length of stay (LOS), and total costs. We calculated weighted national estimates and performed multivariable analyses adjusting for sociodemographic and hospital factors. RESULTS: There were a total of 57,972 (278,871 weighted) subjects. Median PM(2.5) level was 9.5 (interquartile range [IQR] 6.8 to 13.4) μg/m(3). Median O(3) level was 35.6 (IQR 28.2 to 45.2) parts per billion. Mortality was 0.1%; 0.75% of patients were intubated. Median LOS was 2 (IQR 2 to 4) days. Median costs were $3,089 (IQR $2,023 to $5,177). Higher levels of PM(2.5) and O(3) were associated with mortality, longer LOS, and higher costs. Higher O(3) levels were associated with increased odds of intubation. CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of O(3) and PM(2.5) were associated with more severe presentations of pneumonia. Future work should examine these relationships in more recent years and over a longer time period.

CONTEXT:Parents often manage complex instructions when their children are discharged from the inpatient setting or emergency department (ED); misunderstanding instructions can put children at risk for adverse outcomes. Parents’ ability to manage discharge instructions has not been examined before in a systematic review.OBJECTIVE:To perform a systematic review of the literature related to parental management (knowledge and execution) of inpatient and ED discharge instructions.DATA SOURCES:We consulted PubMed/Medline, Embase, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Cochrane CENTRAL (from database inception to January 1, 2017).STUDY SELECTION:We selected experimental or observational studies in the inpatient or ED settings in which parental knowledge or execution of discharge instructions were evaluated.DATA EXTRACTION:Two authors independently screened potential studies for inclusion and extracted data from eligible articles by using a structured form.RESULTS:Sixty-four studies met inclusion criteria; most (n = 48) were ED studies. Medication dosing and adherence errors were common; knowledge of medication side effects was understudied (n = 1). Parents frequently missed follow-up appointments and misunderstood return precaution instructions. Few researchers conducted studies that assessed management of instructions related to diagnosis (n = 3), restrictions (n = 2), or equipment (n = 1). Complex discharge plans (eg, multiple medicines or appointments), limited English proficiency, and public or no insurance were associated with errors. Few researchers conducted studies that evaluated the role of parent health literacy (ED, n = 5; inpatient, n = 0).LIMITATIONS:The studies were primarily observational in nature.CONCLUSIONS:Parents frequently make errors related to knowledge and execution of inpatient and ED discharge instructions. Researchers in the future should assess parental management of instructions for domains that are less well studied and focus on the design of interventions to improve discharge plan management.

Objective To examine associations between parent health literacy, discharge plan complexity, and parent comprehension of and adherence to inpatient discharge instructions. Study design This was a prospective cohort study of English/Spanish-speaking parents (n = 165) of children ≤12 years discharged on ≥1 daily medication from an urban, public hospital. Outcome variables were parent comprehension (survey) of and adherence (survey, in-person dosing assessment, chart review) to discharge instructions. Predictor variables included low parent health literacy (Newest Vital Sign score 0-3) and plan complexity. Generalized estimating equations were used to account for the assessment of multiple types of comprehension and adherence errors for each subject, adjusting for ethnicity, language, child age, length of stay, and chronic disease status. Similar analyses were performed to assess for mediation and moderation. Results Error rates were highest for comprehension of medication side effects (50%), adherence to medication dose (34%), and return precaution (78%) instructions. Comprehension errors were associated with adherence errors (aOR, 8.7; 95% CI, 5.9-12.9). Discharge plan complexity was associated with comprehension (aOR, 7.0; 95% CI, 5.4-9.1) and adherence (aOR, 5.5; 95% CI, 4.0-7.6) errors. Low health literacy was indirectly associated with adherence errors through comprehension errors. The association between plan complexity and comprehension errors was greater in parents with low (aOR, 8.3; 95% CI, 6.2-11.2) compared with adequate (aOR, 3.8; 95% CI, 2.2-6.5) health literacy (interaction term P = .004). Conclusions Parent health literacy and discharge plan complexity play key roles in comprehension and adherence errors. Future work will focus on the development of health literacy-informed interventions to promote discharge plan comprehension.