Emergency centre patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Some epidemiological and clinical aspects at Beni General Referral Hospital
Introduction: Little information is available regarding the characteristics of patients attending the emergency centre (EC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This study aims to provide some epidemiological and clinical aspects of patients admitted to the emergency centre at Beni General Referral...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-03-01
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| Series: | African Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X23000034 |
| _version_ | 1797903496813477888 |
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| author | Agnes K Katsioto Pascaline K Muhesi Job P Isombi Prosper K Kambere Franck K Sikakulya |
| author_facet | Agnes K Katsioto Pascaline K Muhesi Job P Isombi Prosper K Kambere Franck K Sikakulya |
| author_sort | Agnes K Katsioto |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction: Little information is available regarding the characteristics of patients attending the emergency centre (EC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This study aims to provide some epidemiological and clinical aspects of patients admitted to the emergency centre at Beni General Referral Hospital. Methodology: For a year, from January to December 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Data regarding patients’ characteristics, admission modality, stay duration, reason for admission, and discharge modality was anonymously collected from patients’ registers. A descriptive analysis was done with Epi-Info 7. Result: A total of 1404 patients were admitted to the EC, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.2 to 1. The age group below 18 years accounted for 35.4%. Most of the patients (75.7%) originated from urban areas. In 83% of cases, there was no recommendation from another medical facility for EC admission. The most common reasons for admission are non-traumatic gathering on top of neuropsychiatric and non-specific symptoms. Road traffic accidents are the most frequent causes of trauma symptoms. Few patients (14.7%) spent less than 12 hours in the EC. Globally, 7.3% of patients admitted to the EC were discharged after being managed, and 89% were transferred to different wards. The intra-emergency centre mortality rate was 11.8% among admitted patients in the ER at Beni General Referral Hospital. Conclusion: This epidemiology database underlines the need for developing globalizing and multi-sectoral interventions (diagnosis, therapeutic strategy, organization, health program, or health policies) in the perspective of bringing change and/or taking action in the Democratic Republic of Congo's emergency medical system. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:33:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-200974f68a5945aab80bfb7db694f6c6 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-419X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T09:33:55Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Journal of Emergency Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-200974f68a5945aab80bfb7db694f6c62023-02-18T04:16:52ZengElsevierAfrican Journal of Emergency Medicine2211-419X2023-03-011312529Emergency centre patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Some epidemiological and clinical aspects at Beni General Referral HospitalAgnes K Katsioto0Pascaline K Muhesi1Job P Isombi2Prosper K Kambere3Franck K Sikakulya4Emergency Medicine Department, Alexandria University Faculty of Medicine, Egypt; Faculty of Medecine, Catholic University of Graben, DRC; Corresponding author.Faculty of Medecine, University of Goma, DRCPediatrics Department, Kampala International University Western Campus, Uganda; Faculty of Eenvironmental and agronomic sciences, Université Officielle du Semuliki, DRCFaculty of Eenvironmental and agronomic sciences, Université Officielle du Semuliki, DRCFaculty of Medecine, Catholic University of Graben, DRCIntroduction: Little information is available regarding the characteristics of patients attending the emergency centre (EC) in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This study aims to provide some epidemiological and clinical aspects of patients admitted to the emergency centre at Beni General Referral Hospital. Methodology: For a year, from January to December 2021, a cross-sectional study was conducted. Data regarding patients’ characteristics, admission modality, stay duration, reason for admission, and discharge modality was anonymously collected from patients’ registers. A descriptive analysis was done with Epi-Info 7. Result: A total of 1404 patients were admitted to the EC, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.2 to 1. The age group below 18 years accounted for 35.4%. Most of the patients (75.7%) originated from urban areas. In 83% of cases, there was no recommendation from another medical facility for EC admission. The most common reasons for admission are non-traumatic gathering on top of neuropsychiatric and non-specific symptoms. Road traffic accidents are the most frequent causes of trauma symptoms. Few patients (14.7%) spent less than 12 hours in the EC. Globally, 7.3% of patients admitted to the EC were discharged after being managed, and 89% were transferred to different wards. The intra-emergency centre mortality rate was 11.8% among admitted patients in the ER at Beni General Referral Hospital. Conclusion: This epidemiology database underlines the need for developing globalizing and multi-sectoral interventions (diagnosis, therapeutic strategy, organization, health program, or health policies) in the perspective of bringing change and/or taking action in the Democratic Republic of Congo's emergency medical system.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X23000034AttendanceDemocratic Republic of CongoEmergency centreEpidemiology |
| spellingShingle | Agnes K Katsioto Pascaline K Muhesi Job P Isombi Prosper K Kambere Franck K Sikakulya Emergency centre patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Some epidemiological and clinical aspects at Beni General Referral Hospital African Journal of Emergency Medicine Attendance Democratic Republic of Congo Emergency centre Epidemiology |
| title | Emergency centre patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Some epidemiological and clinical aspects at Beni General Referral Hospital |
| title_full | Emergency centre patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Some epidemiological and clinical aspects at Beni General Referral Hospital |
| title_fullStr | Emergency centre patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Some epidemiological and clinical aspects at Beni General Referral Hospital |
| title_full_unstemmed | Emergency centre patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Some epidemiological and clinical aspects at Beni General Referral Hospital |
| title_short | Emergency centre patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Some epidemiological and clinical aspects at Beni General Referral Hospital |
| title_sort | emergency centre patients in the democratic republic of congo some epidemiological and clinical aspects at beni general referral hospital |
| topic | Attendance Democratic Republic of Congo Emergency centre Epidemiology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211419X23000034 |
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