TITLE:
Predictors of Mortality and Clinical Profiles of Elderly Patients Admitted through the Emergency Department in Somalia
AUTHORS:
Hussein Hassan Mohamed, Salad Mohamud Mohamed, Nasteho Mohamed Sheikh, Mohamed Abdi Ahmed, Hassan Adan Ali
KEYWORDS:
Geriatric Patients, Emergency Department, Somalia, Comorbidities, Clinical Outcomes, Mortality
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Aging Research,
Vol.14 No.6,
November
21,
2025
ABSTRACT: Background: Comorbidities and acute illnesses often result in adverse outcomes in emergency departments (EDs), which present specific challenges as the population ages. For effective treatment and resource planning, it is vital to identify mortality predictors for older patients admitted through the emergency department. Objective: To identify the clinical and demographic features, comorbidities, and mortality predictors of elderly patients admitted through the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Somalia. Methods: A retrospective analysis included 654 individuals over 60 years old who were hospitalized in the emergency department between January and December 2022. We reviewed hospital databases to obtain information on diagnoses, treatments, outcomes, clinical presentations, comorbidities, and sociodemographics. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 23. Result: A study showed that 61.9% of the people were men, and the average age was 72.3 years, with a variance of 5.3 years. Diabetes mellitus (31.2%) and hypertension (49.1%) were the two most common comorbidities. Fever (37.3%), dyspnea (36.4%), and altered mental status (35.5%) were some of the most common reasons people visited the hospital. Heart failure (10.1%), sepsis (17.1%), and stroke (21.4%) were the most prevalent diagnoses. The percentage of deaths in the hospital was 15.9%. Sepsis, stroke, malignancy, respiratory failure, altered mental status, trauma, and the need for intensive therapies (dialysis, vasopressors, intubation) were all separate factors associated with mortality (p Conclusion: The mortality rate in Somalia is elevated due to the significant incidence of multiple comorbidities and acute critical situations among older patients referred via the emergency department. Malignancy, stroke, sepsis, and the necessity for urgent therapies are all major indicators of poor outcomes. To reduce mortality in this vulnerable population, early identification and prompt intervention for these high-risk illnesses are crucial.