Regional variations in gynecological hospitalization patterns in Northeastern China: a cross-sectional analysis of...

This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics and distribution patterns of gynecological diseases among hospitalized patients in a tertiary hospital serving China's northeastern mining region, compared disease profiles with national averages, and discussed implications for targeted nursing interventions.

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using electronic medical records from 4,935 gynecological inpatients at Jixi Jikuang Hospital, Heilongjiang Province (January 2021-December 2025). Data collected included age, primary diagnosis (ICD-10 classification), residential district, insurance type, and length of stay. Regional hospitalization rates were calculated using Seventh National Census population data. Chi-square tests compared disease proportions with published national averages.

Analysis of 4,935 patients revealed distinct epidemiological patterns. The majority (60.7%) were aged 40-59 years, with peak prevalence observed in the 40-49 age group (33.8%; mean age 47.2 ± 12.8 years). Uterine pathologies dominated disease composition (57.6%), primarily endometrial polyps (18.9%) and uterine fibroids (18.6%), followed by ovarian diseases (15.9%) and cervical pathologies (13.5%). Geospatial analysis identified that hospitalization rates in mining-intensive districts (518.9-914.3 per 100,000) were higher compared with non-mining areas (178.2-207.8 per 100,000). Most hospitalizations lasted 3-8 days (66.2% of cases). Compared with national averages, significantly higher proportions were observed for endometrial polyps (18.9% vs. 14.5%, P < 0.001), uterine fibroids (18.6% vs. 15.2%, P < 0.001), and cervical neoplasms (10.2% vs. 7.8%, P < 0.001).

Gynecological hospitalizations in this northeastern mining region exhibit clustering in perimenopausal women, elevated uterine pathology prevalence, and geographic disparities favoring mining-intensive districts. These findings suggest potential environmental or healthcare access factors, warranting further investigation, and support the development of region-specific, age-stratified nursing care models.