Table 1

Characteristics of Medicaid patients with an upper respiratory tract infection (URI) episode (n = 69,936)

Characteristic
Number (%)

Age (years)

     0–5
20,213 (28.9%)
     6–21
21,843 (31.2%)
     22–44
17,125 (24.5%)
     45 and older
10,755 (15.4%)
Gender

     Male
26,602 (38.0%)
     Female
43,334 (62.0%)
Race

     White
58,663 (83.9%)
     Nonwhite
11,273 (16.1%)
Number of URI episodes in one year

     1
46,765 (66.9%)
     2
13,839 (19.8%)
     3 or more
9,332 (13.3%)
Diagnosis of index URI episode

     Acute bronchitis
19,344 (27.7%)
     Common cold
1,818 (2.6%)
     Influenza with respiratory symptoms
1,682 (2.4%)
     Acute URI, other sites or not specified
47,092 (67.3%)
Presence of concurrent acute illnesses

     Any acute condition
10,012 (14%)
     Otitis media
5,505 (8)
     Acute sinusitis
2,373 (3)
     Chronic sinusitis
1,023 (1)
     Pneumonia
575 (< 1)
     Strep pharyngitis
540 (< 1)
     Cellulitis
117 (< 1)
     Urinary tract infection
68 (< 1)
     Bacteremia
13 (< 1)
History of chronic comorbid conditions*

     Yes
1,763 (2.5%)
     No
68,173 (97.5%)
Physician specialty for index URI episode

     Family practice, general practice or internal medicine
28,320 (40.5%)
     Pediatrics
4,139 (5.9%)
     Emergency medicine
4,411 (6.3%)
     Other specialty
33,066 (47.3%)
Season of index URI episode

     Winter
24,575 (35.1%)
     Spring
15,786 (22.6%)
     Summer
10,650 (15.2%)
     Fall
18,925 (27.1%)

* One or more claims with a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis, immunodeficiency including HIV/AIDS, solid organ transplant or malignancy, one year prior to the index URI episode.

Zuckerman et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2007 7:47   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-7-47