Paediatric anaemia in rural Kenya and the role of travel time to emergency care services.
Musau MM., Khazenzi C., Akech S., Omondi E., Okiro EA., Snow RW., Macharia PM., Kamau A.
BACKGROUND: Access to emergency care (EC) services is crucial for severe anaemia outcome. Limited information exists on the association between travel times to EC services and the presentation and severity of anaemia upon hospital admission. Here, we investigate the association between travel time and presentation of severe anaemia (compared to mild/moderate anaemia) at admission in western Kenya. METHODS: Data from January 2020 to July 2023 from Busia County Referral Hospital were assembled for paediatric admissions aged 1-59 months residing in Busia County. Travel time from a patient's village to the hospital was calculated using a least cost path algorithm. Anaemia severity was categorised as mild (Hb ≥ 7-<10 g dl-1), moderate (Hb ≥ 5-<7 g dl-1) and severe (Hb