Causes of Death in Children under- Five Years Old at AL-Batool Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Child mortality is usually used as appointer of community health. A decreasing in mortality is possible with increasing the interventions that targeting the important causes of death. Objective: To assess death causes in children below five years old. Patients and Methods: A descriptive retrospect study depend on revision of files in AL- Batool teaching hospital. data was collected during a period of 30 months from 1st of February ,2013 to 30th of November, 2015.by using a well structured questionnaire designed for the study. Date of death, sex and age, and the cause of death were collected. the recorded .Death causes were classified according to the International Classification of Disease version10 (ICD-10). Stillbirths were excluded. Results: A 500 deaths were listed, ( 254 boys and 246girls ). About 198 (39.6%) of deaths were listed as infants death (29 days-11months),while 172(39.4%)recorded as neonatal deaths(0-28days),and 130(26%)as children deaths(1-4years). For the neonate , prematurity/LBW(65)37.79% and neonatal sepsis(47)27.32% were the most important causes of death.For the infants, pneumonia(64)32.23% and sepsis(53)26.76%were the most important causes of death and in the children age group, diarrhea(46)35. 38%and pneumonia (29) 22.30%. were the leading causes of death. Conclusion: Together death causes in children below five years old were pneumonia &sepsis.