TITLE:
Explaining Factors of the Financial Hospital Care Cost for Children Aged 0 to 59 Months. Case Study of the Kalonda Ouest Health Zone, Kasai (DR Congo, 2024)
AUTHORS:
Urbain Mekanda-me-Bibolo, Théophane Bukele Kekemb, Albert Mwembo Tambwe Ankoy, Salomon Bidilukinu Mukendi, Criss Koba Mjumbe, Debaïf Mutombo Kayembe, Emmanuel Mapango Bushabu, Georges Lomami Osakanu, Simon Ilunga Kandolo, Oscar Lubuya Numbi, Ghislain Mashini Ngongo
KEYWORDS:
Financial Cost, Severe Acute Malnutrition, Care, Child Nutrition, Kalonda West, Democratic Republic of Congo
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Access Library Journal,
Vol.13 No.6,
June
5,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Severe acute malnutrition (SAM) imposes significant costs on families, particularly in rural areas. This study aims to identify the factors influencing the financial cost of care for children hospitalized in Kalonda West in 2024. Methods: A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted on all hospitalized children, after logarithmic transformation of the cost to normalize its distribution. Variables including nutritional status, length of hospital stay, parental education level, distance between home and hospital, and parental age were considered. Adjusted β coefficients and 95% confidence intervals were used to quantify associations. Results: Maternal education level was positively associated with cost, with children whose mothers were educated having approximately 14% higher hospital costs than those whose mothers were not educated (β = 0.135; 95% CI: 0.066 - 0.205; p β = 0.016; 95% CI: 0.007 - 0.025; p β = 0.067; 95% CI: 0.025 - 0.109; p = 0.002). Malnourished children incurred costs 19% higher than those with normal nutritional needs (β = 0.170; 95% CI: 0.029 - 0.310; p = 0.018). Parental age was also associated with a median increase of 2.8% in cost per additional year (β = 0.028; 95% CI: 0.020 - 0.036; p Conclusion: Improving affordability requires targeted subsidy policies, strengthened parenting education, innovative financing, and encouraging high-impact interventions during the first 1000 days of a child’s life.Subject AreasPublic Health, Sociology