A complex intervention to improve implementation of World Health Organization guidelines for diagnosis of severe illness in low-income settings: a quasi-experimental study from Uganda

Table 2 Clinical and demographic characteristics of study participants

Patient characteristic n (%)^a	Pre-intervention period n = 1633	Intervention period n = 4126	P value
Male sex^b	669 (41.1)	1755 (42.6)	0.31
Median age, years^c (IQR)	38 (24–55)	37 (23–58)	0.95
HIV-seropositive^d	116 (20.7)	279 (14.8)	0.001
Admitting diagnosis^e
Malaria	527 (34.1)	1451 (37.0)	0.05
Peptic ulcer disease	161 (10.1)	445 (11.3)	0.33
Severe hypertension	125 (8.1)	265 (6.8)	0.08
Diabetic crisis	58 (3.8)	188 (4.8)	0.09
Anemia	75 (4.9)	156 (4.0)	0.14
Pneumonia/LRTI	72 (4.7)	168 (4.3)	0.53
CHF	61 (4.0)	136 (3.5)	0.39
Urinary tract infection	54 (3.5)	195 (5.0)	0.02
Other^f	413 (26.7)	924 (23.4)	0.02
Median length of stay, days (IQR)	3 (2–6)	3 (2–6)	0.06

Abbreviations: CHF congestive heart failure, IQR interquartile range, LRTI lower respiratory tract infection
^aUnless otherwise specified
^bMissing in 12 patients
^cMissing in 42 patients
^dAssessed based on chart documentation of known history of HIV infection and/or results of rapid diagnostic or laboratory testing; missing in 3308 patients
^eMissing in 285 patients
^fIncludes gastroenteritis, pelvic inflammatory disease, tuberculosis, and asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Admitting diagnosis determined by admitting clinician

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