Economic and Social Impact of Pertussis Among Adolescents in San Diego County

PurposeDuring recent pertussis epidemics, adolescents have experienced a large burden of disease. We assessed the impact of pertussis among San Diego adolescents and their households.MethodsParents of pertussis patients aged 13–17 years were surveyed about health care utilization, missed work and school, and other factors. Costs of medical visits, medication use, and lost wages were estimated.ResultsThe parents of 53 (of 108 [49%]) eligible 2013 pertussis patients were interviewed; 51 (96%) of these patients previously received tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis vaccine. Medical visits included primary care (81%), urgent care (11%), and emergency department (9%); all patients received antibiotics. Forty-seven households (89%) received a post-exposure prophylaxis recommendation, and five (9%) reported ≥1 unpaid parental leave day. Thirty-eight patients (72%) missed ≥1 school day (mean = 5.4 days). Societal costs were estimated at $315.15 per household and $236,047.35 in San Diego during 2013–2014.ConclusionsEven among vaccinated adolescents, pertussis can result in considerable societal costs.