Abstract:
To determine time to death and its predictors among preterm neonates admitted
neonatal intensive care units at public hospitals in west Guji and Borena Zones, Southern
Ethiopia, from September11, 2018 to September 10, 2021.
Methods: -A hospital based retrospective cohort study was conductedamong preterm neonates
admitted to neonatal intensive care units at public hospitals in west Guji and Borena zones,
southernEthiopia. Simple random sampling techniquewas used and structured data collection
checklist that wasprepared in English to extract data from therecords.Kaplan Meir curve and Log
rank test was used to estimate the survival time and compare survival curves between variables
and Cox-Proportional hazards model was used to identify significant predictors of time to death
of preterm neonates.
Result: -Out of 510neonates enrolled, 130(25.5%) (95% CI: 22, 29) neonates died with overall
incidence of neonatal mortality 47.7 (95% CI:4, 5.7)per 1000 neonatal days.whereas the overall
median survival time was 18 days with an interquartile range of(IQR= 6,24).Multivariable cox proportional hazard results revealed that lack ANC visit (AHR: 7.1, 95%CI: 4–12.65), primipara
(AHR: 2.3, 95%CI: 1.16–4.43), pregnancy complication(AHR: 3.4, 95%CI: 1.94–6.0), Bag and
mask resuscitationat birth (AHR: 2.1, 95%CI: 0.28 –0.77) and not receiving Kangaroo mother
care (AHR: 9.3, 95%CI: 4.36 –19.9) were significantly predictors of preterm neonatal survival.
Conclusion: -Mortality of preterm neonates was found to be high. Various maternal and
neonatal predictors of survival were identified, indicating a need for stakeholders toenhance
efforts towards prevention of pretermassociated complications and optimize facility-based
continuum of care.Prospective longitudinal study focused on maternal socioeconomic,nutritional
and institutional related factors is recommended
