Aberra, Selam, Alem, Ataly and Fekadu, Abebew (2018) Mortality trends among inpatients at a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Ethiopia. Ethiopian Medical Journal, 56 (3). pp. 205-210. ISSN 0014-1755 (Accepted)

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Abstract

Introduction: Mortality among people with mental illness is higher than the general population. Given the changes in the health service delivery in the past decade in Ethiopia, evaluating the pattern of mortality during this period may provide policy relevant information. The aim of this study was to assess the mortality pattern in a tertiary psychiatric hospital in Ethiopia.

Method: A case-control design was employed. Using the Health Management Information System records and clinical
records kept at the tertiary hospital; data on inpatient mortality was collected respectively for a period of nine years (2006 -2014). Changes in the service configuration were also tracked over the nine years period to explore the potential impact of changes in management upon mortality. Data was analyzed through simple descriptive methods and logistic regression.

Result: A total of 16,081 patients were admitted during the nine year period. The overall mortality rate of inpatients was 2.5/1000 admitted patients. The sex specific all-cause mortality rates were high in females (4.6/1000) than in males (1.8/1000). The mortality rate varied over the nine years between 0.5/1000 to 5.0/1000, with indications of fluctuations commensurate with changes in service organizational changes although these changes were not statistically significant. Although suicide accounted for the death of 12.5% (n=5), most died of natural causes and also primarily of infectious
diseases .

Conclusion:Mortality occurs mainly from preventable causes including suicide. Service reconfigurations may play important role in mitigating mortality. However, further systematic studies are required to determine the impact of service configurations on mortality and general morbidity.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	Mortality, Pattern of Mortality, Mental Illness, Serious Mental Illness, Inpatient Service, Ethiopia
Schools and Departments:	Brighton and Sussex Medical School > Global Health and Infection
Research Centres and Groups:	Wellcome Trust Brighton and Sussex Centre for Global Health Research
Related URLs:	http://www.emaemj.org/index.php/EMJ/arti...
Depositing User:	emma louise Bertrand
Date Deposited:	17 Jul 2018 13:34
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2018 13:41
URI:	http://srodev.sussex.ac.uk/id/eprint/77235

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