Prevalence and Factors Associated with Severe Malaria in Children Under 5 Years of Age at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, Western Uganda

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with severe malaria in children under five years of age at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital (HRRH) in western Uganda. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in the pediatric ward of HRRH among 288 caregivers of children under five years admitted to the ward. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, coded, entered, and analyzed using SPSS version 25. The majority of the children were female and above two years of age. Most caregivers were farmers, and many had no formal education. Among the 288 children admitted to the pediatric ward, 188 (65.3%) had severe malaria. Factors significantly associated with severe malaria included age and distance from home to the hospital. Children older than two years had a significantly higher likelihood of severe malaria (P ≤ 0.05), with the odds being twice as high compared to those aged two years or younger. Additionally, children living five kilometers or more from the hospital had twice the odds of having severe malaria compared to those living within one kilometer. The odds increased fourfold for children residing between two and five kilometers from the hospital. The prevalence of severe malaria was high among children admitted to HRRH. Significant risk factors included being older than two years and living more than two kilometers from the health facility. Keywords: Severe malaria, Children under five, Prevalence, Risk factors, Hoima Regional Referral Hospital