Prevalence, Associated Factors and Outcome of Hospital-Acquired Infections Among Patients Admitted to The Internal Medicine Wards at SPHMMC from September 2024 to August, 2025

Abstract

Abstract Background Hospital-acquired infection (HAI) defined as an infection occurring 48 hours or more after admission, is a major cause of illness and death among hospitalized patients, especially in low- and middle-income countries(LMICs)(1). Objectives The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence, outcome and associated factors of hospital acquired infection among patients admitted to the Internal Medicine Wards at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College from September 2024- August 2025. Methodology A retrospective record cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample size of 422. Data was collected from patient charts using checklist and analyzed by using SPSS version 21. Result Out of the 422 participants 53.6% were female and the mean age of participants was 47.8 ± 17.8 years. The prevalence of HAIs was 9.7%. BSIs were the most common type of HAI (43.9%), followed by UTI (36.6%) and HAP (19.5%). The majority of HAI cases were admitted to the nephrology ward (34.2%), followed by pulmonology (22%) and the transition ward (19.5%). Mechanical ventilation was significantly associated with HAIs. Patients who used it had around two times higher odds of developing HAIs compared to those who did not use (AOR = 2.044, 95% CI: 1.008–2.634, p < 0.05). Among patients diagnosed with HAI 68.3% of the cases resolved, while 24.4% had prolonged stay and 7.3% were dead. Conclusion The prevalence of HAIs in this study was slightly lower when compared to other studies in Ethiopia. Among types of HAIs, BSIs were found to be the most common. Although most patients with HAIs recovered, HAIs contribute to prolonged hospital stays and mortality, showing the need for strong infection prevention practices. Recommendation Routine monitoring of HAI should be strengthened to reduce their burden and improve patient outcomes Keywords: Hospital-acquired infection, prevalence, clinical outcomes, internal medicine wards, bloodstream infection, length of hospital stay, Ethiopia