%A Dahiru, T %A Idris, S %A llyas, J %A Bot, T %T Discharge against medical advice: Factors and patients' characteristics in Abuth, Zaria %9 Original Article %D 2011 %J Sahel Medical Journal %P 132-135 %V 14 %N 3 %U https://www.smjonline.org/article.asp?issn=1118-8561;year=2011;volume=14;issue=3;spage=132;epage=135;aulast=Dahiru %8 July 1, 2011 %X Background: Discharge against medical advice presents ethical dilemma to the medical staff and reflects a failure to reach consensus between the medical personnel and the patient or his/her custodian regarding the need for continued in-patient care. It also presents a challenge for the medical staff in terms of counseling, quality of service as well as legal implications. To determine factors responsible for DAMA in ABUTH this study was conducted. Method: The study was an unmatched retrospective case-control in design involving all patients DAMA between 2005 and 2008. The controls are patients admitted 24 hours before and 24hours after the admission of patient ending up as DAMA; the controls were discharged formally by the attending physician. Relevant information of both DAMA and non-DAMA patients were extracted from their case notes by means of a proforma: age, sex, marital status, religion, occupation, residence, diagnosis and length of stay. The extracted data was entered and analyzed using SPSSv16. Results: There were a total of 21,725 admissions, 16,360 discharges and 2701 deaths during the study period. Of the 21,725 admissions 225 (1.37%) ended up as DAMA. Patient's characteristics that significantly determined DAMA are young age, male patient, admission through ER and a diagnosis of road traffic accident. Conclusion: Discharge against medical advice is prevalent in ABUTH and factors significantly influence DAMA include young age, male gender, admission through ER, involvement in road accident, surgical as well as OBGYdiagnoses. %0 Journal Article %I Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications %@ 1118-8561