Abstract

Background. It is estimated that one in three people worldwide may need rehabilitation. In Estonia, the provision of outpatient and
inpatient paediatric rehabilitation services, their users’ age distribution, and primary diagnoses have not been previously studied.
Objectives. The aim of the study was to describe the provision of outpatient and inpatient paediatric rehabilitation services in the Estonian healthcare system from 2010 to 2023, including the regional availability of services and their distribution by patient age and diagnosis.
Methods. Analysis was based on data from the Estonian Health Insurance Fund, the Land Board, Statistics Estonia, and the Population Register. The study included outpatient appointments and inpatient rehabilitation days funded by the Estonian Health Insurance Fund for individuals under the age of 18.
Results. On average, 11,007 outpatient appointments and 5,635 inpatient paediatric rehabilitation days were provided annually. Compared to 2015, when outpatient paediatric rehabilitation appointments provision was at its peak, provision in 2023 had decreased by 2.3 times, primarily in Harju and Ida-Viru counties. 98% of inpatient rehabilitation days in Estonia are provided in Lääne county. The provision of outpatient appointments was regionally uneven. The distribution of primary diagnoses was dependent on care type and age group.
Conclusions. This study is the first detailed overview of the provision of outpatient and inpatient paediatric rehabilitation services in the Estonian healthcare system. This study found a remarkable and ongoing decline in the provision of outpatient rehabilitation appointments and regional uneven availability in both services.