Trends and Causes of Hospital-Based Mortality in Southwest Nigeria: An 11-Year Retrospective Statistical Analysis

Abstract: Understanding the causes of death is essential for effective health policy planning and intervention, this study investigates mortality patterns in Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, Southwest, Nigeria, to identify the leading causes of death and provide evidence-based recommendations for their prevention. Secondary data were collected from the Information Management and Medical Records Department of EKSUTH, which covers all recorded deaths, including stillbirths, over eleven years (2004–2014). The dataset included primary causes of death, age, sex, and time of death. Descriptive statistics, graphical analyses, and inferential tests, including t-test, Chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Jonckheere’s trend test, were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 20. A total of 1,954 death records were analyzed. Infections were the leading cause of death, accounting for 397 (20.3%) of all cases, followed closely by cardiovascular diseases, 382 (19.5%) deaths. Males accounted for 1,090 (55.8%) deaths while females accounted for 864 (44.2%) deaths. The age group 0–10 years recorded the highest number of death cases, accounting for 483 (24.7%) deaths, indicating a need for urgent public health attention. To further reduce the mortality rate, the study recommends targeted interventions for high-risk groups, enhanced public health campaigns focusing on disease prevention, nutrition, and road safety, and increased allocation for pediatric and emergency care units.