ABSTRACT
Aim: We investigated socioeconomic and geographic determinants of hospital care for viral gastroenteritis in young children.
Method: This is a register based study in a national birth cohort of 752,078 children 0-5 years of age in Sweden during 2006-2012. Hazard ratios (HR) of time to first admission and first episode of outpatient emergency department (ED) care with a diagnosis of viral gastroenteritis were estimated with Cox regression.
Results: The adjusted HRs for hospital admission with a diagnosis of viral gastroenteritis were increased when the mother was below 25 years at the birth of the child, 1.30 (95% confidence interval 1.24-1.35), had a short education, 1.18 (1.12-1.23), a psychiatric disorder, 1.34 (1.30-1.39), and/or when parents were born outside Europe, 1.23 (1.18-1.29). In contrast, the disposable income of the family was only marginally associated with hospital admissions because of viral gastroenteritis. The pattern of HRs for outpatient ED hospital care was similar. Hospital care incidences for viral gastroenteritis differed considerably between Swedish counties. 
Conclusion: Parental indicators associated with a lower level of health literacy increases the risk for hospital care due to gastroenteritis in young children. Information about oral rehydration should be provided in ways that is accessible to these parents.

HOSPITAL CARE FOR GASTROENTERITIS IN 0-5 YEAR OLDS IN SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND GEOGRAPHIC CONTEXT: A SWEDISH NATIONAL COHORT STUDY