Kids and ruptured appendixes
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From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.
A ruptured appendix can be a life-threatening condition, and researchers say some children are more likely than others to be hospitalized because of it. The study by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, or AHRQ, found black children are most likely, followed by Hispanic children and then white children.
AHRQ researcher Karen Ho:
"Poverty also plays a role. Children living in poor communities were 26 percent more likely to be hospitalized for this condition than those living in higher-income communities." (10 seconds)
A ruptured appendix can be hard to diagnose in children. It can develop from inflammation of the appendix, or appendicitis. When the appendix ruptures, a person may feel less pain. But then the pain can get worse, especially when walking or coughing.
Learn more at hhs.gov.
HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss.