2013 to 2022 Saw Increase in Influenza Testing at Hospital ED Visits
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
THURSDAY, Dec. 19, 2024 -- The use of influenza testing at hospital emergency department visits increased from 2013 to 2022 in the United States, according to a December data brief published by the National Center for Health Statistics.
Susan M. Schappert and Loredana Santo, M.D., M.P.H., from the National Center for Health Statistics in Hyattsville, Maryland, examined trends in the use of influenza testing at hospital emergency department visits during 2013 to 2022 using data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey.
The researchers found that from 2013 to 2022, there was an increase in the percentage of annual emergency department visits with an influenza test ordered or provided, from 2.5 to 10.9 percent. The highest proportion of influenza tests ordered or provided in 2013 and 2022 was seen for emergency department visits by children ages 0 to 5 years (8.6 and 23.1 percent, respectively). The most frequent first-listed reasons for emergency department visits with an influenza test ordered or provided were fever and cough in both 2013 and 2022. For each geographic region of the United States, the percentages of emergency department visits with an influenza test ordered or provided increased between 2013 and 2022.
"Visits with a first-listed reason of nausea, shortness of breath, or psychological symptoms also had relatively high percentages of influenza testing in 2022; the percentages for nausea and shortness of breath were significantly higher than the corresponding percentages in 2013," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted December 2024
Read this next
Opportunistic Community Screening IDs Uncontrolled Cardiovascular Risk Factors
FRIDAY, Aug. 15, 2025 -- Opportunistic pop-up community screening identifies a high prevalence of uncontrolled cardiovascular risk factors, according to a study published online...
Missed Opportunity Common in Patients With High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer
FRIDAY, Aug. 15, 2025 -- A considerable proportion of patients with high-grade serous cancer (HGSC) have missed opportunities for risk assessment with genetic testing and for...
EHR Notes Reveal Potential Racial Bias in Doctors' Perception of Patient Credibility
FRIDAY, Aug. 15, 2025 -- An analysis of more than 13 million electronic health record (EHR) notes shows potential racial bias in how doctors document patient trustworthiness...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.