Investing in Maternal and Child Health

(Elliott) #1
The Business Case for Protecting and Promoting Child and Adolescent Health

Key Health Risks: Children


While most children are generally healthy, all children face health risks. Business Group membership


surveys show that large employers are particularly concerned with child health risks that are serious


(i.e., they result in long-term or permanent problems) and costly to treat or manage. In 2005, the


Business Group asked its large-employer members to name the most “problematic” health conditions


that affected their child and adolescent beneficiaries (refer to Figure 4B on page 24). Respondents


reported that for children aged 0 to 12 years preterm birth, asthma, diabetes, injuries, and infections


were the most problematic conditions; for adolescents aged 13 to 18 years, the most problematic


conditions were asthma, behavioral health problems, injuries, and obesity.^3


Vaccine Preventable Diseases

Health Impact


Immunizations have a powerful positive impact on the


overall health of children. Childhood immunization^21 :


• Is generally safe;


• Protects children from a number of potentially


serious and even deadly childhood diseases;


• Prevents outbreaks of infectious diseases and the spread of epidemics; and


• Is one of the only defenses against many childhood infections, such as chicken pox, polio,


and measles.


Average Prenatal Care and Maternity-Related Hospital
Payments for Privately-Insured Women, 2004

$7 ,20 5

$10 ,32 4

$46 3

$52 3

$0

$2 ,00 0

$4 ,00 0

$6 ,00 0

$8 ,00 0

$10 ,00 0


$12 ,00 0


Infant Hospital Charges


5,80 0

205 ,00 0

$0


$50 ,000


$10 0,000


$15 0,000


$20 0,000


$25 0,000


Normal birt hweigh t Low birt hweight

He alth care Cos ts Paid by Employe rs for
Care in th e Firs t Ye ar of Li fe , 200 1

$2 ,83 0

$41 ,61 0

$0


$5,00 0


$1 0,000


$1 5,000


$2 0,000


$2 5,000


$3 0,000


$3 5,000


$4 0,000


$4 5,000


Full -T erm Deli very , No
Compli ca tions

Deli very with Diagnosis
of Pre maturi ty

Preterm Birth Asthma Diabetes Injuries Obesity Infection/Virus Behavioral
Health
Problems

80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

        0%

67%

33%

50%

33%

25% 25%

42%

25%

33%

25%

0% 0%

33%

N/A

Figure 4B: Child and Adolescent Health Problems of Concern to Employers Age 0-12 years


Age 13-18 years

Source: National Business Group on Health. Maternal and Child Health Benefits Survey.   Washington, DC: National    Business    Group   on  Health; January 2006.

Childhood immunizations have
eliminated or nearly eliminated
many infectious diseases that
affected children in the past.
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