OBJECTIVE

Pediatric constipation is common, costly, and often managed in the Emergency Department (ED). The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of constipation-related ED visits in a large commercially insured population, the frequency of an office visit in the month before and after these visits, demographic characteristics associated with these office visits, and the ED-associated payments.

METHODS

Data were extracted from the Truven MarketScan database for commercially insured children from 2012 to 2013. Data on the presence and timing of clinic visits within 30 days before and after an ED constipation visit and demographic variables were extracted. Logistic regression was used to predict an outcome of presence of a visit with independent variables of age, sex, and region of the country.

RESULTS

In a population of 17 million children aged 0 to 17 years, 448,440 (2.6%) were identified with constipation in at least 1 setting, with 65,163 (14.5%) having an ED visit for constipation. Of all children with a constipation-related ED visit, 45% had no office visit in the 30 days before or after the ED visit. Increasing age was associated with absence of an office visit. The median payment by insurance for an ED constipation visit was $523, the median out-of-pocket payment was $100, for a total of $623 per visit.

CONCLUSION

One in 7 children with constipation in this commercially insured population received ED care for constipation, many without an outpatient visit in the month before or after. Efforts to improve primary care utilization for this condition should be encouraged.