Rising public costs of preterm infant hospitalization in South Korea from a nationwide observational study
Abstract Despite the decline in the overall birth rate, increasing preterm births and associated medical costs pose a national concern. We analyze hospitalization costs covered by national public insurance for preterm infants. Population-based data, obtained from the National Health Insurance Servic...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-04-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98868-2 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849712950095380480 |
|---|---|
| author | Ji Young Lee Joonsik Park Myeongjee Lee Minkyung Han Sung Min Lim Jee Yeon Baek Ji-Man Kang Min Soo Park Inkyung Jung Jong Gyun Ahn |
| author_facet | Ji Young Lee Joonsik Park Myeongjee Lee Minkyung Han Sung Min Lim Jee Yeon Baek Ji-Man Kang Min Soo Park Inkyung Jung Jong Gyun Ahn |
| author_sort | Ji Young Lee |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Despite the decline in the overall birth rate, increasing preterm births and associated medical costs pose a national concern. We analyze hospitalization costs covered by national public insurance for preterm infants. Population-based data, obtained from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), which is operated by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, were used for the study. Preterm births from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2020 were included, using International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th edition (P07.2, extremely preterm < 28 weeks gestational age, P07.3, non-extremely preterm). The primary outcomes related to cost from the first hospitalization due to preterm births and medication, and laboratory, radiological, and functional tests by gestational age and birth weight. Additionally, we assessed the readmission rates of preterm infants and the associated medical costs. A total of 5,312,886 live infants were born, of which 90,575 were claimed as preterm birth hospitalization. The total medical cost per patient increased almost three-fold from $7,390.90 to $20,209.59 from 2008 to 2020; for the extremely preterm group, it increased four-fold ($13,961.03 to $55,984.47). The readmission rate within 90 days of discharge was 62.5%; however, a greater proportion of the extremely preterm, as compared to the non-extremely preterm (16.1% vs. 8.32%, P < 0.001) group was readmitted within 30 days. The extremely preterm group also incurred higher costs associated with readmission (mean $4293.8 vs. $2975.4, P < 0.001). This study reveals not only the increase in preterm birth rate in South Korea, but also in the associated medical costs. Further attention should be paid to efficient resource allocation at the national level to relieve the medical burden of preterm births. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3b064c81aebd4af69e78bb1e985b6b9d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-3b064c81aebd4af69e78bb1e985b6b9d2025-08-20T03:14:06ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-04-011511710.1038/s41598-025-98868-2Rising public costs of preterm infant hospitalization in South Korea from a nationwide observational studyJi Young Lee0Joonsik Park1Myeongjee Lee2Minkyung Han3Sung Min Lim4Jee Yeon Baek5Ji-Man Kang6Min Soo Park7Inkyung Jung8Jong Gyun Ahn9Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children’s Hospital, Yonsei University College of MedicineDivision of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, Severance Children’s Hospital, Yonsei University College of MedicineBiostatistics Collaboration Unit, Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of MedicineBiostatistics Collaboration Unit, Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, Severance Children’s Hospital, Yonsei University College of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, Severance Children’s Hospital, Yonsei University College of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, Severance Children’s Hospital, Yonsei University College of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, Severance Children’s Hospital, Yonsei University College of MedicineDivision of Biostatistics, Department of Biomedical Systems Informatics, Yonsei University College of MedicineDepartment of Pediatrics, Severance Children’s Hospital, Yonsei University College of MedicineAbstract Despite the decline in the overall birth rate, increasing preterm births and associated medical costs pose a national concern. We analyze hospitalization costs covered by national public insurance for preterm infants. Population-based data, obtained from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS), which is operated by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, were used for the study. Preterm births from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2020 were included, using International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th edition (P07.2, extremely preterm < 28 weeks gestational age, P07.3, non-extremely preterm). The primary outcomes related to cost from the first hospitalization due to preterm births and medication, and laboratory, radiological, and functional tests by gestational age and birth weight. Additionally, we assessed the readmission rates of preterm infants and the associated medical costs. A total of 5,312,886 live infants were born, of which 90,575 were claimed as preterm birth hospitalization. The total medical cost per patient increased almost three-fold from $7,390.90 to $20,209.59 from 2008 to 2020; for the extremely preterm group, it increased four-fold ($13,961.03 to $55,984.47). The readmission rate within 90 days of discharge was 62.5%; however, a greater proportion of the extremely preterm, as compared to the non-extremely preterm (16.1% vs. 8.32%, P < 0.001) group was readmitted within 30 days. The extremely preterm group also incurred higher costs associated with readmission (mean $4293.8 vs. $2975.4, P < 0.001). This study reveals not only the increase in preterm birth rate in South Korea, but also in the associated medical costs. Further attention should be paid to efficient resource allocation at the national level to relieve the medical burden of preterm births.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98868-2PrematurityCostHealth insuranceHospitalizationPreterm birth |
| spellingShingle | Ji Young Lee Joonsik Park Myeongjee Lee Minkyung Han Sung Min Lim Jee Yeon Baek Ji-Man Kang Min Soo Park Inkyung Jung Jong Gyun Ahn Rising public costs of preterm infant hospitalization in South Korea from a nationwide observational study Scientific Reports Prematurity Cost Health insurance Hospitalization Preterm birth |
| title | Rising public costs of preterm infant hospitalization in South Korea from a nationwide observational study |
| title_full | Rising public costs of preterm infant hospitalization in South Korea from a nationwide observational study |
| title_fullStr | Rising public costs of preterm infant hospitalization in South Korea from a nationwide observational study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rising public costs of preterm infant hospitalization in South Korea from a nationwide observational study |
| title_short | Rising public costs of preterm infant hospitalization in South Korea from a nationwide observational study |
| title_sort | rising public costs of preterm infant hospitalization in south korea from a nationwide observational study |
| topic | Prematurity Cost Health insurance Hospitalization Preterm birth |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-98868-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jiyounglee risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy AT joonsikpark risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy AT myeongjeelee risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy AT minkyunghan risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy AT sungminlim risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy AT jeeyeonbaek risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy AT jimankang risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy AT minsoopark risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy AT inkyungjung risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy AT jonggyunahn risingpubliccostsofpreterminfanthospitalizationinsouthkoreafromanationwideobservationalstudy |