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Mortality pattern in children: a hospital based study in Nigeria
I O George1, B A Alex-Hart, A I Frank-Briggs
1Department of Paediatrics, University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port-Harcourt, Nigeria.
Insights
Child mortality in Nigerian children under five was primarily caused by HIV/AIDS and bronchopneumonia. Intensifying healthcare programs can significantly reduce child deaths and achieve health goals.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Hospital mortality data reflects community health trends.
- Analyzing mortality patterns aids in service evaluation and patient care improvement.
- This study focuses on pediatric mortality at the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the mortality patterns of children admitted to the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital.
- To identify the leading causes of death in pediatric admissions.
- To inform strategies for reducing child mortality.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study design.
- Review of case files for pediatric admissions (1 month to 16 years) over a 2-year period (Jan 2007-Dec 2008).
- Exclusion of neonatal and surgical cases.
Main Results:
- A total of 2,174 admissions with 61 deaths, resulting in a 2.8% mortality rate.
- The majority of deaths (80.3%) occurred in children under five years old.
- Leading causes of death included HIV/AIDS and bronchopneumonia (under-five), and malignancies and HIV/AIDS (over-five).
Conclusions:
- Effective Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV/AIDS) control is crucial for reducing child mortality.
- Further investigation into the risk factors for malignancies in children is warranted.
- Intensifying integrated management of childhood illnesses and primary healthcare programs is essential for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (MDG 4).
Background:
Hospital based data on mortality pattern is a reflection of what is obtainable in a community at large. Therefore, data obtained from such review is usually beneficial in re-evaluating existing services and in improving facilities and patient care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mortality pattern of children admitted into the children medical wards of the University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital from Jan 2007 to December 2008.
Materials And Methods:
This was a retrospective study. The case files of all patients aged one month to 16 years, admitted into the paediatric wards of University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Port-Harcourt, Nigeria over a 2 year period were reviewed. Neonatal and surgical cases were excluded.
Results:
There were 2,174 admissions during the study period. Sixty one of the total number of admissions died in the children medical wards giving a mortality rate of 2.8%. The youngest child was 2 months and the oldest 10 years. Fifty two (80.3%) were under 5 years. There was male preponderance. Most of the deaths occurred between April and September. The commonest causes of death were HIV/AIDS and bronchopneumonia in the under five age group; while in those above 5 years of age malignancies and HIV/AIDS were the predominant causes.
Conclusion:
Effective HIV/AIDS control measures will significantly reduce child mortality in our community. Also there is need to have a closer look at the potential risk for malignancies. Health intervention programmes such as integrated management of childhood illnesses and primary health care, which have been shown to reduce childhood deaths significantly, need to be intensified in order to achieve the MDG 4 by 2015.
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