title: Differences in hospital admissions for males and females in northern Uganda in the period 1992-2004: a consideration of gender and sex differences in health care use.
abstract: To inform our understanding of male and female health care use, we assessed sex differences in hospital admissions by diagnosis and for in-patient mortality using discharge records for 210319 patients admitted to the Lacor Hospital in northern Uganda in the period 1992-2004. These differences were interpreted using a gender framework. The overall number of admissions was similar by sex, yet differences emerged among age groups. In children (0-14 years), malaria was the leading cause of admission, and the distribution of diseases was similar between sexes. Among 15-44 year olds, females had more admissions, overall, and for malaria, cancer and anaemia, in addition to delivery and gynaeco-obstetrical conditions (25.7% of female admissions). Males had more admissions for injuries, liver disease and tuberculosis in the same age group. In older persons (>or=45 years), women had more admissions for cancer, hypertension, malaria and diarrhoea, while, as for the previous age group, males had more admissions for injuries, liver disease and tuberculosis. This study provides insight into sex- and gender-related differences in health. The analysis and documentation of these differences are crucial for improving service delivery and for assessing the achievement of the dual goals of improving health status and reducing health inequalities.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology, Surveillance and Health Promotion, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Accorsi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fabiani
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nattabi
authors.forename: Nicoletta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ferrarese
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Corrado
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Iriso
authors.forename: Emintone O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Ayella
authors.forename: Bongomin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pido
authors.forename: Zabulon
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yoti
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Corti
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ogwang
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Declich
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality / Q000639:trends; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014454:Uganda / Q000453:epidemiology