Abstract:
Background: Stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, creating a substantial burden on healthcare systems, particularly in low-resource settings like Ethiopia. The length of hospital stays for stroke patients is not only an important indicator of healthcare efficiency, quality, and resource utilization but also varies significantly depending on multiple factors. Despite its critical role, the magnitude of length of stay and the factors influencing it in Ethiopian stroke patients remain understudied. Most research emphasizes developed countries, leaving a gap in understanding for resource-limited settings like Ambo University Referral Hospital. Assessing both the magnitude and associated factors of Length of stay in such settings can provide vital insights to enhance stroke care and improve resource allocation in Ethiopia, particularly in the study setting.
Objective: To assess the magnitude of prolonged length of stay and associated factors in stroke patients at the Ambo University Referral Hospital, Ambo town, West Shoa, Ethiopia, 2024. Methods: Facility based cross-sectional study was conducted among 142 stroke patients
admitted to AUHR selected by using simple random sampling technique from January 1-February1, 2025. Structured questionnaire were used to collect by using Kobo tool then exported to Excel and then transferred to SPSS version 26. Bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to ascertain factors linked with length of admitted stroke patients. Statistical significance was determined at a P-value of less than 0 .05.
Result: The study has found that the magnitude of admitted stroke prolonged length of stay was 15.5 %(95%CI=9.9-21.8). Stroke patients length of stay was associated with Alcohol intake[(AOR 95%CI=8.76(2.28,33.57)], Comorbidity [(AOR) 95% CI=5.09 (1.34,19.26)], time from Hospital admission to imaging [(AOR) 95% =4.5(1.23,16.48)], Blood pressure at presentation[(AOR)95%CI=6.4(1.16,13.26)] and pneumonia [AOR(95% CI) =3.99 (1.045, 11.26)] were significantly associated with length of stay.
Conclusion: The study has found the magnitude of prolonged length of stay was 15.5%. alcohol intake, hypertension, comorbidity, Pneumonia and time from admission to imaging were significantly associated with prolonged stay at AURH among admitted stroke patients. So, the institution needs to improve imaging and diagnostics services, work on awareness creation regarding Non-communicable disease and intervene accordingly in line with other concerned bodies.
