Predictors of prolonged hospitalization among children admitted with severe pneumonia in Southeast Ethiopia: a retrospective follow-up study
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Severe pneumonia remains a primary driver of pediatric morbidity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Prolonged hospital stay (PHS) escalates healthcare expenditure and strains referral hospital resources. This study aimed to evaluate the proportion, clinical determinants, and overall performance of factors associated with PHS among hospitalized pediatric severe pneumonia cases in Southeast Ethiopia. A hospital-based retrospective follow-up study was conducted at Asella Referral and Teaching Hospital, analyzing 395 systematically sampled pediatric cases (aged 3 months to 14 years) admitted with severe pneumonia. Multivariable logistic regression was executed with model diagnostics, including Variance Inflation Factors (VIF), Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The proportion of prolonged hospital stay (> 7 days) was 42.0% (95% CI 37.2–46.8). In the multivariable model, independent factors associated included presence of comorbidities (Adjusted OR [aOR] = 4.02; 95% CI 2.42–6.67; p < 0.001), care-seeking delay > 48 h (aOR = 3.89; 95% CI 2.35–6.42; p < 0.001), history of previous pneumonia (aOR = 3.23; 95% CI 1.81–5.74; p < 0.001), partial vaccination status (aOR = 3.03; 95% CI 1.73–5.32; p < 0.001), and underlying malnutrition (aOR = 2.44; 95% CI 1.15–5.18; p = 0.021). The multivariable explanatory model demonstrated good discriminative performance (AUC = 0.804, 95% CI 0.759–0.848) and good model calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow p = 0.612). Over four in ten pediatric severe pneumonia admissions experience prolonged hospitalization. Prompt care-seeking behavior, complete routine immunization, and nutritional interventions may reduce prolonged hospitalization and should be prioritized in similar referral settings.
Source: Scientific Reports
Institution: Arsi University
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
OpenAlex ID: W7204486006