Morbidity and Mortality in Adolescents at the University Hospital of Brazzaville

Abstract

Introduction: Adolescent morbidity and mortality is a health concern. Objective: To determine morbidity, identify the causes of morbi-mortality and the factors associated with adolescent mortality in Brazzaville. Patients and Methods: A retrospective, descriptive and analytical study was carried out at the Brazzaville Hospital and University Center between January 2015 and December 2016. Adolescents hospitalized in clinical services whose records were workable were included. The Epidemiological, clinical and evolutionary variables were analyzed. The statistical test used was the khi-two, the significance level set at 0.05. Results: In total, Out of 67,488 hospitalized patients, 2062 were adolescents: 3% including 891 (43.2%) boys and 1171 (56.8%) girls mean age 14.8 ± 2.92 years, seen in average 9.38 days after the onset of symptoms. Childbirth 415 (20.1%), malaria 309 cases (14.9%), major sickle cell crisis 223 (10.8%) and traumatic injuries 166 cases (8.05%) are the main causes of morbidity. One death was recorded in n = 193 (9.4%), of which n = 104 (5.0%) in the first 48. Tumors, malaria and status epilepticus are the leading causes of death. The female sex, the age between 15 and 19 years, the young age of the father, the higher level of education of the adolescent and the low socio-economic level of the parents are associated with the death. Conclusion: Adolescent morbidity is worrying and mortality is significant. It is important that policies on this issue be developed with an emphasis on the main causes of morbi-mortality, including malaria control and sex education.