Determinants of prolonged stay of neonates in intensive care unit

Abstract

Objective: To determine the factors associated with prolonged stays in neonatal ICU. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study based on the Individual Service Delivery Registries (RIPS) and the billing of a Health Services Provider Company (EPS) of Colombia. A binomial logistic model was estimated using prolonged stays as a dependent variable. Results: The median length of stay in the ICU of the 947 neonates included in the analysis was three days with an average sojourn of 4.8 days (interquartile range of 1-5 days). Regarding the determinants: gestational age, birth weight and age of the mother, they have an inverse relationship with the probability of generating stays, while living in urban areas and having accurate prenatal control become protective factors. Conclusion: Prenatal control is an efficient and effective intervention for managing health risk, also reducing pregnancies in young (<18 years) and older women (> 35 years) would play a key role in decreasing prolonged stays in neonatal ICU.