BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SCR 18
Author: Alquist (D), et al
Amended: 3/12/09
Vote: 21
WITHOUT REFERENCE TO COMMITTEE OR FILE
SUBJECT : Respiratory Syncytial Virus Awareness Month
SOURCE : March of Dimes
DIGEST : This resolution designates the month of March of
each year as Respiratory Syncytial Virus Awareness Month in
the State of California and encourages all Californians to
observe the month with appropriate activities and
educational outreach to parents and the medical community,
as well as programs to raise awareness about the causes of,
symptoms of, and ways of preventing Respiratory Syncytial
Virus.
ANALYSIS : This resolution makes the following
legislative findings:
1. The number of babies born premature, at less than 37
weeks of gestational age, continues to grow in the
United States, with an increase of 20 percent since 1990
and an increase of nine percent since 2000.
2. In June 2005, 12.7 percent of all births were premature,
at less than 37 weeks gestational age. This amounts to
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more than 525,000 infants.
3. According to the March of Dimes, in 2004, California
ranked in the top 10 states for preterm births (less
than 37 completed weeks of gestational age) and very
preterm births (less than 32 completed weeks of
gestational age). In 2005, 548,882 children were born
in California and approximately 10 percent, or 56,363
children, were born premature.
4. The increase in premature birth rates in recent years is
primarily associated with a rise in late preterm births
(34 to 36 weeks of gestational age), which has increased
25 percent since 1990 and accounts for 70 percent of all
preterm births. Although multiple births have
contributed to this rise, substantial increases in
preterm birth rates, and especially late preterm birth
rates, have occurred because of singleton birth rates
since 1990.
5. Several studies have found that late preterm infants
have greater morbidity and mortality than full-term
infants. Late preterm infants have a mortality rate
that is three times greater than full-term infants, with
the highest mortality risk occurring during the neonatal
period.
6. Late preterm infants have higher costs in every type of
medical service category compared to full-term infants,
including inpatient hospitalizations, well baby
physician office visits, outpatient hospital services,
home health care services, and prescription drug use.
7. The five leading causes of rehospitalization for all
infants includes Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)
bronchiolitis, bronchiolitis (cause unspecified),
pneumonia (cause unspecified), jaundice, and
dehydration. Among these causes, RSV is the most common
cause of viral death in children under five years of age
and the leading cause of hospitalization in infants less
than one year of age.
This resolution designates the month of March of each year
as Respiratory Syncytial Virus Awareness Month in the State
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of California and encourages all Californians to observe
the month with appropriate activities and educational
outreach to parents and the medical community, as well as
programs to raise awareness about the causes of, symptoms
of, and ways of preventing RSV.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 3/16/09)
March of Dimes (source)
Children's Specialty Care Coalition
ITSRx Pharmacy
MedImmune, Inc
National Black Nurses Association - South Bay Chapter
National Hispanic Nurses Association - Los Angeles Chapter
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Supporters of the resolution
write:
"Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common virus that
can be deadly to high-risk infants born prematurely or with
heart or lung complications. While RSV generally causes
mild, cold-like symptoms in adults, high-risk infants can
suffer from serious respiratory infections, such as
bronchilolitis [sic] or pneumonia. RSV-related illness
increases the risk for hospitalizations and outpatient
visits in high-risk infants and up to 125,000 infants are
hospitalized for RSV annually in the United States."
CTW:mw 3/18/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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