Risk and rates of hospitalisation in young children: A prospective study of a South African birth cohort.

ABSTRACT: Children in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are disproportionately affected by morbidity and mortality. There is also a growing vulnerable population of children who are HIV-exposed uninfected (HEU). Understanding reasons and risk factors for early-life child hospitalisation will help optimise interventions to improve health outcomes. We investigated hospitalisations from birth to two years in a South African birth cohort study. Mother-child pairs in the Drakenstein Child Health Study were followed from birth to two years with active surveillance for hospital admission and investigation of aetiology and outcome. Incidence, duration, cause, and factors associated with child hospitalisation were investigated, and compared between HEU and HIV-unexposed uninfected (HUU) children. Of 1136 children (24

SUBMITTER: Wedderburn CJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10793893 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature