Trends in all-cause pneumonia and influenza hospitalization incidence by coding position - a study of US healthcare claims, 2014-2023

Background

The hospitalization rate for pneumonia among adults has decreased in the U.S. since the early 2000's. The increasing prevalence of chronic conditions among adults, especially those associated with risk factors for pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, may be contributing to a larger population susceptible to pneumonia. Existing estimates utilizing claims data may underestimate the true rates of disease due to how diagnostic coding fields are used to define outcomes.