Typology of morbidity diagnosed in a pediatric department of a secondary care center (Msaken, Sousse, Tunisia).

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric services are tracer services for the assessment of the integration and performance of the national health system.

OBJECTIVES: Describe the typology of morbidity notified to the Pediatrics department of the Msaken regional hospital (Sousse, Tunisia) and the flow of its patients.

METHODS: This is a descriptive and exhaustive study, covering all the patients hospitalized in the pediatric ward of Msaken, during the year 2015. The data were collected through medical files and medical registers. admission, based on the Minimum Clinical Summary (RCM) form. The notified diagnoses were coded according to the WHO ICD-10 classification. The main diagnosis was defined by the major pathology that led to the hospitalization. Early readmission was retained before 28 days.

RESULTS: A total of 521 children were hospitalized, with a sex ratio of 1.04 and a mean age of 2 ± 3 years; 70% of the patients came from the administrative center of the governorate and 62% were infants (age <two years). Entry was provided via the emergency room in 58% of cases. The main diagnoses reported were diseases of the respiratory system (37%) including acute bronchiolitis, and diseases of the genitourinary system (28%) including urinary tract infections. About one in four patients (23%) were former patients of the department. The readmission rate was 18.7%. The average length of stay for hospitalized children was 4.5 ± 4 days. The transfer rate to university hospitals was 1.9%.

CONCLUSION: The morbidity profile of the regional pediatric ward of Msaken illustrates the new health needs of infants, dominated by infections of the respiratory and urinary tracts. Hence the importance of strengthening primary health care and referral / referral system between the pediatric services of district, regional and university hospitals, for an integrated and efficient national health system.