Social Work Today E-Zine

The number of infants under the age of 2 with HIV who were hospitalized fell by 64% between 1998 and 2005, according to the latest News and Numbers by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). During the same period, hospitalizations for children and adolescents with HIV aged 2 to 17 and for adults with HIV aged 18 to 44 dropped by 41% and 31%, respectively.

Overall, hospitalizations for complications from HIV declined primarily due to life-prolonging protease inhibitor drugs known as the "AIDS cocktail" introduced in 1995. However, life-prolonging drugs may be increasing admissions of older people with HIV who develop other chronic illnesses. AHRQ data found that the rate of hospitalizations rose 43% for patients aged 45 to 54, 61% for those aged 55 to 64, and 56% for Americans aged 65 and over.

This AHRQ News and Numbers is based on data in HIV Hospitalizations in 1998 and 2005. The report uses statistics from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. The data are drawn from hospitals that comprise 90% of all discharges in the United States and include all patients, regardless of insurance type, as well as the uninsured. The authors used AHRQ's Inpatient Quality Indicators to determine the in-hospital, risk-adjusted death rates.

— Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality