Time to recovery from severe pneumonia and its predictors among under-five children at Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: In Ethiopia, severe pneumonia continues to be a major cause of death for children under five. Time to recovery is a clinically relevant measure of the duration of inpatient care, yet local evidence from Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital is lacking. This study aimed to determine the time to recovery from severe pneumonia and its predictors among under-five children at Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia. An institution-based retrospective cohort follow-up study of a randomly selected sample of 301 under-five children (aged 1–59 months) admitted and managed for severe community-acquired pneumonia between January 1, 2021, and April 30, 2026. A standardized and pretested checklist was used to extract data from medical charts from June 1 to June 15, 2026. Time to recovery was measured in days from admission to physician-documented clinical recovery at discharge; children who died, were referred out, or left against medical advice were censored on the day of exit. The median recovery time was estimated via the Kaplan–Meier method, and predictors were analyzed using bivariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression, reporting adjusted hazard ratios (AHR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Model assumptions and goodness-of-fit were verified using Schoenfeld and Cox–Snell residuals, complemented by Fine–Gray competing-risk modeling. The median time to recovery was 3 days (95% CI: 2.80–3.20; IQR: 2–4), corresponding to an overall recovery rate of 20 per 100 person-days (95% CI: 17.8–22.5). In multivariable Cox modeling, children presenting without comorbid illnesses recovered significantly faster (AHR = 1.61; 95% CI: 1.22–2.12) than those with coexisting conditions. Conversely, infants presenting with a low admission weight (< 5 kg) experienced a 51% slower rate of clinical recovery compared to children weighing over 10 kg (AHR = 0.49; 95% CI: 0.28–0.88). Other covariates showed no statistically significant independent association after adjustment. Children managed for severe pneumonia at Debre Berhan Comprehensive Specialized Hospital typically achieve clinical recovery within a median of 3 days. Absence of comorbidities shortens time to recovery, whereas an admission weight < 5 kg was associated with a longer time to recovery. These observational associations may help clinicians to identify children with extended stays and prioritize enhanced supportive care. Not applicable.
Source: BMC Pediatrics
Institution: Debre Berhan University
Language: English
Subfield: Epidemiology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,090
OpenAlex ID: W7225829802
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