title: Gender Inequalities in Remote Settings: Analysis of 105,025 Medical Records of a Rural Hospital in Ethiopia (2005-2015).
abstract: Gender inequalities in Sub-Saharan Africa are deemed relevant but data to support this view are scanty. Retrospective analysis of a large dataset of 105,025 patients admitted to an Ethiopian rural private, non-for-profit hospital over a 11 years period (2005-2015). Since 2001, the hospital and the local community are involved in a long-term, comprehensive and externally-supported health care intervention. The total number of admissions was higher for females (61.9% of the total) mainly because of the high frequency of admissions for obstetrics conditions. The total male-to-female ratio (M:F) was 0.6. Except for malaria, men had more admissions for the other leading causes, with the highest M:F being found for injuries (2.7) and musculoskeletal diseases (1.7). Overall, excluding admissions for pregnancy-related issues, the M:F was 1.4. The frequency of admissions changed with age and gender. Female admissions prevailed in the reproductive age period (from 15 to 44 years of age) while males admissions prevailed in the younger and older age groups. The case fatality rate was higher for men (M:F = 2.0). The total M:F and the M:F excluding pregnancy-related admissions did not change during the study period. Gender inequalities do exist in rural remote setting but tend to affect women differently during their lifespan. Even if gender inequalities generally favor males, the substantial proportion of admissions for pregnancy-related situations is encouraging.
authors.affiliation: Project "Italian Contribution to the Health Sector Development Programme and Contribution to the MDG Fund", Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Accorsi
authors.affiliation: Università degli Studi di Milano and Fondazione Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via M. Fanti, 6, 20122, Milan, Italy. dadosomigliana@yahoo.it.
authors.forename: Edgardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Somigliana
authors.affiliation: Project "Italian Contribution to the Health Sector Development Programme and Contribution to the MDG Fund", Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farese
authors.affiliation: Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Tsegaye
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ademe
authors.affiliation: St. Luke Catholic Hospital, Wolisso, Ethiopia.
authors.forename: Yonas
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Desta
authors.affiliation: Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Putoto
authors.affiliation: Doctors with Africa CUAMM, Padua, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Manenti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005002:Ethiopia; D005260:Female; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D016304:Hospitals, Private / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Gender; Inequality; Pregnancy; Remote setting