Pattern of Diseases and Outcome of Hospitalization Among Children at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Periodic evaluation of the pattern of disease and outcome among hospitalized children is important in auditing the quality and effectiveness of health care systems.

Objective: To describe the pattern of diseases and outcome of hospitalized children in a Nigerian facility.

Methods: This was a retrospective study carried out at the Children's Medical Ward of the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, over five years, from the 1st of January 2017 to the 31^st of December 2021. The ward records of all hospitalized children aged one month to 16 years were reviewed and analysed. Neonatal and surgical cases were excluded.

Results: Of the 2213 patients studied, males predominated in a ratio of 1.5:1, with the majority of the children aged below five years. The mean age was 20.7±3.7 months. Most admissions were recorded during the rainy season and were mainly due to communicable diseases, especially malaria, tonsillitis and bronchopneumonia. Non-communicable diseases were mostly acyanotic congenital heart disease, seizures, cerebral palsy and cancers. The majority of the children were discharged home, while 0.4% were referred to other facilities for further care. The mortality rate was 3.8%, and this was mainly due to malaria, bronchopneumonia, and meningitis.

Conclusion: The morbidity and mortality pattern in hospitalized children with non-surgical conditions is mostly due to preventable communicable diseases. Increased health funding by the government, improved socioeconomic status, health education, immunisation, and sanitation could reduce the morbidity and mortality from these communicable diseases.