Pattern of Medical Admissions in a Tertiary Health Centre in Abakaliki South-East Nigeria

Abstract

The pattern of medical admissions varies amongst different regions of the world and this depends on many factors including the prevalent medical diseases in the region. This study determined the pattern of medical admissions in a tertiary health centre in Abakaliki South Eastern Nigeria and compared it with that from other parts of the country.   It was a retrospective, descriptive and hospital based study. The admission and discharge registers of the medical wards of the Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki south-east Nigeria from July 2012 to June 2013 were reviewed and relevant data extracted and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19 software.  The patients admitted during the period numbered 1247, with age range of 15 to 99 years. There were 643(51.56%) males and 604 (48.44%) females, with a male to female ratio of 1.06:1. Seventy per cent of the patients were between 30 and 69years. Infectious diseases accounted for 255 (20.45%) of the admissions, while cardiovascular disorders and neurological disorders accounted for 251 (20.13%) and 233 (18.68%) respectively. Non-communicable diseases accounted for 711 (57.02%) of the cases while communicable diseases accounted for 536 (42.98%). There was male predilection for neurological and chronic liver diseases while female patients had predilection for infectious diseases. The study showed that majority of the patients was in the productive age. There was also double burden of both communicable and non-communicable diseases in Abakaliki with higher female prevalence of infectious diseases. Health planning towards prevention of the identified diseases should be instituted.

Keywords: pattern, medical, admissions, Abakaliki, Nigeria