Open AccessAdmission Patterns in the Children’s Emergency Room of Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Author(s) -
Ikenna K Ndu,
Isaac Nwabueze Asinobi,
Obinna Chukwuebuka Nduagubam
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of advances in medicine and medical research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2456-8899
DOI - 10.9734/jammr/2021/v33i1931082
Subject(s) - medicine , covid-19 , pandemic , emergency department , teaching hospital , emergency medicine , pediatrics , university hospital , medical emergency , family medicine , nursing , disease , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Aims: This study aimed to compare the difference in admission rates and severity of illness in 2019 and during the peak time period of the global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic of 2020 in children presenting at the Children’s emergency room (CHER) of Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu.
Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study.
Place and Duration of Study: Children’s emergency room (CHER) of Enugu State University Teaching Hospital, Enugu, from June 1 to August 31, 2019 and 2020 were reviewed, respectively.
Methodology: The admission records of all the children that were admitted into CHER of Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Enugu, over a three-month period from June 1 to August 31, 2019 and 2020 respectively were reviewed.
Results: A total of 310 and 184 patients were seen during the study period for 2019 and 2020, respectively (40.6% decrease). A significant number of patients spent two days on admission in the children’s emergency room in 2020 than in 2019 (P < .001). Emergency admissions were 3 times more in year 2020 than in year 2019 (OR = 2.624, 95% C.I = 1.797 – 3.833, P < .001).
Conclusion: Although this study reported decreased emergency room admissions, there was an increase in the mortality rate and emergency presentations.