The economic cost consequences of suboptimal infant and young child feeding practices: a scoping review.

Breastfeeding is important for women and children's health, but less than half of infants worldwide begin life with optimal breastfeeding. A growing literature shows consistently large economic costs of not breastfeeding, with global studies showing economic losses of around US$300 billion globally. However, existing studies are highly diverse in approaches, methods, data sources and country results.

An Online Calculator to Estimate the Impact of Changes in Breastfeeding Rates on Population Health and Costs.

Objective: We sought to determine the impact of changes in breastfeeding rates on population health.

Materials And Methods: We used a Monte Carlo simulation model to estimate the population-level changes in disease burden associated with marginal changes in rates of any breastfeeding at each month from birth to 12 months of life, and in rates of exclusive breastfeeding from birth to 6 months of life. We used these marginal estimates to construct an interactive online calculator (available at www.

Disparities in Breastfeeding: Impact on Maternal and Child Health Outcomes and Costs.

Objective: To estimate the disease burden and associated costs attributable to suboptimal breastfeeding rates among non-Hispanic blacks (NHBs), Hispanics, and non-Hispanic whites (NHWs).

Study Design: Using current literature on associations between breastfeeding and health outcomes for 8 pediatric and 5 maternal diseases, we used Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate 2 hypothetical cohorts of US women followed from age 15 to 70 years and their infants followed from birth to age 20 years. Accounting for differences in parity, maternal age, and birth weights by race/ethnicity, we examined disease outcomes and costs using 2012 breastfeeding rates by race/ethnicity and outcomes that would be expected if 90% of infants were breastfed according to recommendations for exclusive and continued breastfeeding duration.

A cost comparison of unicompartmental and total knee arthroplasty.

Background: Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) is an alternative to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in appropriately selected patients. There is a paucity of data comparing hospital resource utilization and costs for UKA versus TKA.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 128 patients who underwent UKA or TKA for osteoarthritis by a single surgeon in the 2011 Fiscal Year.

Hospitalization Among HIV-Infected U.S. Marshals Service Prisoners.

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) prisoner population is diverse and includes immigration violators, fugitives that have evaded apprehension, perpetrators of Medicaid fraud, and parole and probation violators.

Suboptimal breastfeeding in the United States: Maternal and pediatric health outcomes and costs.

The aim of this study was to quantify the excess cases of pediatric and maternal disease, death, and costs attributable to suboptimal breastfeeding rates in the United States. Using the current literature on the associations between breastfeeding and health outcomes for nine pediatric and five maternal diseases, we created Monte Carlo simulations modeling a hypothetical cohort of U.S.

Impact of Optimized Breastfeeding on the Costs of Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Extremely Low Birthweight Infants.

Objective: To estimate risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants as a function of preterm formula (PF) and maternal milk intake and calculate the impact of suboptimal feeding on the incidence and costs of NEC.

Study Design: We used aORs derived from the Glutamine Trial to perform Monte Carlo simulation of a cohort of ELBW infants under current suboptimal feeding practices, compared with a theoretical cohort in which 90% of infants received at least 98% human milk.

Results: NEC incidence among infants receiving ≥98% human milk was 1.

Impact of a Centralized Inpatient Hospice Unit in an Academic Medical Center.

Objective: Rush University Medical Center (RUMC) and Horizon Hospice opened the first centralized inpatient hospice unit (CIPU) in a Chicago academic medical center in 2012. This study examined if there was a difference in cost or length of stay (LOS) in a CIPU compared to hospice care in scattered beds throughout RUMC.

Study Design And Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study compared cost and LOS for patients admitted to the CIPU (n = 141) and those admitted to hospice scattered beds (SBM) throughout RUMC (n = 56).

Long-term outcomes of a postbaccalaureate nurse residency program: a pilot study.

Objective: The purpose of this pilot study was to determine what influence a nurse residency program (NRP) has on long-term outcomes including turnover rates, career satisfaction, and leadership development.

Background: Studies examining short-term outcomes of NRPs have shown positive effects. Long-term studies of NRPs have not been reported.

A perioperative cost analysis comparing single-level minimally invasive and open transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion.

Background Context: Emerging literature suggests superior clinical short- and long-term outcomes of MIS (minimally invasive surgery) TLIFs (transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion) versus open fusions. Few studies to date have analyzed the cost differences between the two techniques and their relationship to acute clinical outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine the differences in hospitalization costs and payments for patients treated with primary single-level MIS versus open TLIF.

The institutional cost of acquiring 100 mL of human milk for very low birth weight infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Background: Human milk from the biologic mother (HM) reduces disease burden and associated costs of care during and after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization for very low birth weight (VLBW; birth weight < 1500 g) infants, when compared to feedings of donor human milk (DHM) or commercial formula (CF). However, compared to DHM and CF, little is known about the institutional cost to acquire HM from the biologic mother.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the institutional cost of acquiring HM for VLBW infant feedings during the NICU hospitalization.

Cost of morbidities in very low birth weight infants.

Objective: To determine the association between direct costs for the initial neonatal intensive care unit hospitalization and 4 potentially preventable morbidities in a retrospective cohort of very low birth weight (VLBW) infants (birth weight <1500 g).

Study Design: The sample included 425 VLBW infants born alive between July 2005 and June 2009 at Rush University Medical Center. Morbidities included brain injury, necrotizing enterocolitis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and late-onset sepsis.

Improving the use of human milk during and after the NICU stay.

The feeding of human milk (milk from the infant's own mother; excluding donor milk) during the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) stay reduces the risk of costly and handicapping morbidities in premature infants. The mechanisms by which human milk provides this protection are varied and synergistic, and appear to change over the course of the NICU stay. The fact that these mechanisms include specific human milk components that are not present in the milk of other mammals means that human milk from the infant's mother cannot be replaced by commercial infant or donor human milk, and the feeding of human milk should be a NICU priority.

The initial maternal cost of providing 100 mL of human milk for very low birth weight infants in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Objectives: Human milk (HM) feeding is associated with lower incidence and severity of costly prematurity-specific morbidities compared to formula feeding in very low birth weight (VLBW; <1,500 g) infants. However, the costs of providing HM are not routinely reimbursed by payers and can be a significant barrier for mothers. This study determined the initial maternal cost of providing 100 mL of HM for VLBW infants during the early neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay.

A comparison of the efficiency, efficacy, comfort, and convenience of two hospital-grade electric breast pumps for mothers of very low birthweight infants.

Objective: Many mothers of very low birthweight infants are breast pump-dependent for weeks or months and need a breast pump that is efficient, effective, comfortable, and convenient.

Study Design: This multisite, blinded, randomized clinical trial compared the efficiency, efficacy, comfort, and convenience of the Symphony breast pump (Medela, McHenry, IL) (SBP) to the Classic breast pump (Medela) (CBP) and also compared these same outcome measures for single- and multiphase suction patterns used in the SBP. All 100 mothers initiated lactation with the CBP and were randomized to single- and multiphase suction patterns in the SBP when daily milk output was at least 350 mL/day.