DEATH IN A DIARRHEAL COHORT OF INFANTS AND YOUNG-CHILDREN SOON AFTER-DISCHARGE FROM HOSPITAL - RISK-FACTORS AND CAUSES BY VERBAL AUTOPSY

Assessing mortality pattern of children after discharge from hospital is important to guide appropriate management policy, We studied young children aged 1-23 months, who were discharged from an urban Diarrhoea Treatment Hospital. Children were enrolled on discharge from the hosp ital, and followed at home after 6 and 12 weeks to assess post-dischar ge mortality, Of 500 children, 427 were available for evaluation at ho me 6 weeks after discharge, The median age of the children was eight m onths, 77 per cent of whom were less than 12 months of age, Of the 427 children, 30 (7 per cent) died within 6 weeks and two died within 12 weeks of discharge from hospital. The median survival time of the dece ased was 11 days, Children less than 6 months of age had a five times greater risk of death compared with those aged 6 months or older, Maln utrition, non-breastfeeding, and lack of immunization were important r isk factors for death, As ascertained by verbal autopsy, the underlyin g causes of death were respiratory diseases and watery diarrhoea, Maln utrition and low birth weight were the main associated causes. Hospita lized children, especially young infants, should be given special atte ntion and need to be followed preferably within a week of discharge.