The Pattern of Admissions in the Medical Wards of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi

Objective: To determine the pattern of admissions in the adult medical wards of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi from December 1990 to December 1992 with particular focus on age, sex ratio, prevalence of local illnesses and duration of sojourn in hospital. Method: A retrospective analysis was done using the admissions register and folders of patients seen during the period. Results have been presented in tables and histograms. Results: The mean age at admission was 39 years, while 14.4% of cases were in the age group of 41 – 50 years and 61 – 70 years. Diabetes was the commonest indication for admission followed by congestive cardiac failure. The mean duration of sojourn in hospital was 12 days, while most (20.8%) cases were admitted for 11 –15 days followed by 20.3% of cases for 6 – 10 days. Despite the fact that the analysis spanned for only 2 years compared with longer duration in other studies, our findings were similar to those from other centres. Conclusion: In Nnewi, South-East of Nigeria, almost half (46.9%) of all medical admissions were due to chronic medical illnesses namely Diabetes, CCF, hypertension and CVA. This may reflect the fact that most cases of infections are treated at the primary and secondary care levels. Key Words: Medical Admission, Diseases Pattern, Age and Sex Distribution Orient Journal of Medicine Vol.16(1) 2004: 11-15