Impact of HIV/AIDS on Trends in Major Causes of Death at a Rural Mission Hospital in Kenya: Review of 4858 Records

Background: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), is a worldwide public health issue. Hospital death records can be used to study the impact of HIV in Africa. The explanation of mortality figures through hospital records identifies the evolution of the pandemic at that point. Methods: This study was framed with the objective, to describe trends in the leading causes of death from 1980 to 2000 at Kijabe Hospital; determining the proportion of deaths attributed to HIV/AIDS. Data were examined from death records stored in an ACCESS database at Kijabe Hospital. The numbers of deaths in categories of causes of death were used to determine trends in the most frequent causes of death over the time period. In the case of HIV/AIDS the frequency of this diagnosis as recorded on the death certificates was tracked. The study design was a retrospective review of the death records. Results: Larger proportions of young people died in at Kijabe Hospital over the study period. HIV/AIDS became the leading cause of death for every year after 1991. Conclusion: These trends may help rural hospitals plan and allocate resources. The data in this study may influence local resource distribution and future programs in similar settings.