Predictors of Hospitalization During the First Year of Life among 31999 Tanzanian Infants.

ObjectiveThis study explored the risk factors for infant hospitalization in urban and peri-urban/rural Tanzania.MethodsWe conducted a prospective cohort study examining predictors of hospitalization during the first year of life among infants enrolled at birth in a large randomized controlled trial of neonatal vitamin A supplementation conducted in urban Dar es Salaam (n = 11,895) and peri-urban/rural Morogoro region (n = 20,104) in Tanzania. Demographic, socioeconomic, environmental and birth outcome predictors of hospitalization were assessed using proportional hazard models.ResultsThe rate of hospitalization was highest during the neonatal period in both Dar es Salaam (102/10,000 neonatal-months) and Morogoro region (78/10,000 neonatal-months). Hospitalization declined with increased age and was lowest for infants 6-12 months of age in both Dar es Salaam (11/10,000 infant-months) and Morogoro region (16/10,000 infant-months). In both Dar es Salaam and Morogoro region, older maternal age, male sex, low birth weight and being small for gestational age were significant predictors of higher risk of hospitalization (p ConclusionsThis study determined high rates of neonatal hospitalization in Tanzania. Interventions to increase birth size may decrease risk of hospitalization. Equity in access to hospitals for poor rural families in Tanzania requires attention.