INCIDENCE AND PREDICTORS OF UNPLANNED READMISSION OF HEART FAILURE PATIENTS TO PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN NEKEMTE TOWN WEST OROMIA, ETHIOPIA 2025: A RETROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

ADVISORS:MR. MATIYOS LEMA (BSC, Background: Unplanned hospital readmissions were 25% within 30 days after discharge from an index admission are a global issue that casts doubt on the quality of healthcare. Heart failure is a major source of unscheduled readmissions globally and its burden grows with time. Its impact has doubled in country like Ethiopia.<br> Objective: To determine incidence and predictors of unplanned hospital readmission among heart failure patients in Nekemte Town public Hospital, West Oromia, Ethiopia 2025.<br> Methods: An institutional-based 6 years Retrospective Cohort study was conducted among Heart failure patients and 339 patients were selected using Systematic random sampling from two public hospitals, Nekemte Town. The data was collected using Kobo Collect tool application exported to SPSS Version 27 for analysis. The Kaplan-Meier and log-rank were used to estimate and compare survival time. A Cox proportional hazard model was utilized, conducting both Bi-variable and multi-variable analyses to investigate how predictors affect the timing of unscheduled hospital readmissions. The strength of association was assessed by adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), and statistical significant was declared for p-values &lt; 0.05 and a 95% confidence interval (CI).<br> Result: Finding of the study indicated that cumulative Incidence of unplanned hospital readmission among heart failure patients was 25.8% within 30 days of last discharge and response rate of the study was 98%. From multivariate cox proportional hazards analysis age greater than or equal to sixty five (AHR: 3.40, 95% CI: 1.97, 5.87), rural in residency (AHR: 2.35, 95% CI: 1.40, 3.94), poor medication adherence (AHR: 2.03, 95% CI: 1.26, 3.25), and Hospital Stay of &gt;=7 days (AHR: 3.10, 95% CI: 1.92, 5.01) were significant predictors of unplanned hospital readmission.<br> Conclusion: finding of study showed that incidence rate was 9.41 readmissions per 1000 person-day time observation. Older age, rural residency, poor medication adherence and long hospital stay were significant predictors of unplanned hospital readmission. Giving more attention to older patients with heart failure, increase access of quality care at periphery, educating family and patients on proper use of prescribed medication, and treating heart failure and all underlying causes of prolong hospital stay will enhance chance to reduce readmission.<br> Key Words: Heart Failure, Time to Readmission, Incidence rate, Predictors, Nekemte, Ethiopia