Open Access[Hospital morbidity in an urban district in Tunisia]
Author(s) -
A. Bchir
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/1998.4.1.94
Subject(s) - medicine , epidemiology , asthma , public health , epidemiological transition , ambulatory care , population , hospital care , diabetes mellitus , pediatrics , health care , ambulatory , emergency medicine , medical emergency , environmental health , demography , family medicine , surgery , nursing , endocrinology , sociology , economics , economic growth
In the health region of Monastir, Tunisia, there is a register of admissions to all public hospitals. Those relating to patients resident in Ksar Hellal District during the year 1995 were identified [N = 1983 admissions to hospital]. This made it possible to establish the population-based pattern of hospital morbidities. The annual hospitalization rate is 6.1%;the rate for patients aged ‘ 65 years is estimated at 13.1%. Chronic diseases are responsible for 31.5% of admissions to hospital and are predominantly diabetes and asthma. The morbidity pattern reflects a phenomenon of epidemiological transition and calls for the strengthening of ambulatory care and development of specific services likely to reduce the need for hospitalization