Investigating the causes of hospitalization of children under ۱۵ years of age during the Covid- ۱۹ pandemic: Based on a study in southern Iran

Methods and Materials: This cross-sectional study was performed to determine the causes ofhospitalization of children under ۱۵ in the pediatric ward of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Jiroftin ۲۰۲۰. The information of ۳۶۰ children was completed by a pre-designed checklist accordingto the patients' files. This information included age, gender, the referral reason, and the time ofhospitalizationResults: The most common causes of hospitalization in both sexes were gastrointestinaldiseases (۴۴.۱۱%) and fever of unknown origin (FUO) (۳۶.۷%), and a significant relationshipwas observed between gender and the cause of hospitalization of children (P <۰.۰۰۱). (Table۲). In the age group of one month to one year, the most common cause of hospitalization wasFUO (۲۷%) followed by gastrointestinal diseases (۲۵%). Otitis media (۲۳%) was the mostcommon cause of hospitalization in children aged ۱ to ۳ years, gastrointestinal diseases inchildren aged ۳ to ۶ years (۱۶.۴%) and ۶ to ۱۲ years (۲۵%), respectively.Conclusion: Since this study was carried out at the height of Covid ۱۹ epidemic, the reportedsymptoms may have overlapped with the symptoms of Covid ۱۹. But in general, due to thehigh prevalence of diseases such as gastrointestinal diseases and FUO among the causes ofhospitalization of children in this area, epidemiological studies and the provision ofpreventative health services for said diseases in children seem necessary.

کلیدواژه ها:

Covid ۱۹ ، hospitalization of children ، southern Iran