Mortality Trends and Characteristics in a Tertiary Hospital in Southwest Saudi Arabia: A 5-Year Retrospective Study

Background and Objectives: Hospital mortality rates have repeatedly been used as important indicators of the quality of care provided and as a good monitoring and evaluation tool. Studies on hospital mortality in Saudi Arabia are scant, with most of the available literature focusing on the COVID-19 era. In this study, the patterns and trends in inpatient mortality at King Fahad Central Hospital in southwest Saudi Arabia from 2018 to 2022 were analyzed. Mortality characteristics, including age-specific mortality rates and associated factors, were also investigated. Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study analyzing hospital mortality data in King Fahad Central Hospital (KFCH) from 2018 to 2022 using the largest hospital discharge database in the Jazan region. The mortality rates were calculated, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. The analysis also documented some associations using logistic regression models. Results: Of the 62,534 patients admitted, 36,971 (59.1%) were females, and 25,543 (40.9%) were males. The mean age (standard deviation) was 24.6 (22.8) years. The overall hospital mortality was 4.8% [95% CI: 4.6-5.0] and was significantly higher among males [7.0%, 95% CI: 6.7-7.3] than females [3.2% 95% CI: 3.1-3.4] (p < 0.05). Mortality was significantly higher in the population aged 60 years and above [17.25%, 95% CI: 16.3-18.2] (p < 0.001). During the five-year period analyzed, mortality was low in 2018 (3.3%), with remarkably high rates during the COVID-19 period of 2020 and 2021 (5.6% and 6.0%, respectively). The disease groups with the highest prevalence of mortality include certain conditions originating in the perinatal period. In the logistic regression model, the male sex [odds ratio OR = 2.3, 95% CI = 2.01-2.43) was associated with an increased mortality risk. Compared to intensive care beds, general bed departments are associated with a 98% lower risk of mortality [OR = 0.015, 95% CI = 0.014-0.017]. Conclusions: This analysis of hospital data statistics revealed a relatively low hospital mortality rate in Jazan. However, the high mortality rates among male patients require further analysis and investigation. Customized interventions targeting high-mortality diseases are recommended.