Pattern of medical admissions in a tertiary health centre in Makurdi, north central Nigeria: A one year review

Abstract

Background : The patterns of admissions into medical wards differ widely. This difference is dependent on the prevalent medical conditions in such regions of the world. This study determined the pattern of medical admissions in a tertiary health centre in Makurdi, North Central Nigeria and compared it with observations from other parts of the country. Methods : Admission and discharge registers of the medical wards of Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi from January 2013 to December 2013 were reviewed and relevant data extracted and analyzed. Results : The patients admitted into medical ward during the period numbered 840, made up of 342 (40.7%) females and 498 (59.3%) males with a ratio of 1:1.46. The age range of the patients was 18 to 100 years with mean age of 43±16 years (females 41±14 vs. males 44±17 years). Eighty seven percent (732) of patients admitted were between the ages 20 – 69 years. Non-communicable diseases accounted for 465 (55.4%) of the cases while communicable diseases constituted 375 (44.6% ) .While congestive cardiac failure was the most common non communicable disease (9.1%), HIV/AIDS was the most prevalent infection, constituting 40.0% of communicable diseases in the sampled population. Conclusion : The study noted a dual burden of both communicable and non communicable diseases and preventive measures of these diseases should be instituted and or intensified. Keywords : Admissions, Communicable disease, Medical, Non-communicable disease