Children with special health care needs: Prevalence in a pediatric hospital and associated risks Niños y adolescentes con necesidades especiales de atención en salud: Prevalencia hospitalaria y riesgos asociados

Background: "Children with special health care needs" (CSHCN) is a novel defi nition for pediatric patients with chronic diseases, adopted by the Chilean Pediatric Society in 2008. As life expectancy in Chile increases, prevalence of CSHCN is progressively growing, leading to higher health costs. Aim: To describe the epidemiological profi le and clinical characteristics of hospitalized CSHCN, and compare the risk assessment of adverse events during hospitalization using two defi nitions for CSHCN. Patients and Methods: A cohort of hospitalized CSHCN in a Pediatric Center at Santiago, Chile, was followed from September to December 2009. Clinical and demographic data were registered in a database, including admission to intensive care unit (ICU), nosocomial infections and prolonged hospitalization (> 7 days). Incidence ratios for these events were compared between CSHCN and non-CSHCN, and between children attended by three or more health care professionals (CSHCN-3) and non-CSHCN. Resul