Application of Bayesian Approach Survival Analysis of Under-five Pneumonia Patients in Tercha General Hospital, South West Ethiopia

Pneumonia is among the major killer diseases in under-five children in the world. In developing countries 3 million children die each year due to pneumonia. Ethiopia is one of the 15 pneumonia high burden countries. The aim of this study was to examine the risk factors of the survival time of under-five pneumonia patients using Bayesian approach analysis. Total of 281 under-five pneumonia patients included in this study. The parametric survival models such as Weibull, Lognormal and Log-logistic baseline distributions were used to fit the datasets by introducing prior distributions. The DIC value was used to compare the baseline distributions, and based on the DIC value the Weibull baseline distribution was selected as good model to fit under-five pneumonia dataset well. The results obtained from the Weibull survival model showed that patients from urban residence and patients who were admitted during patient nurse ratio (PNR) was small; were prolong timing death of under-five pneumonia patients, while patients who admitted during Spring and summer season, patients who suffer comorbidity and severe acute malnutrition (SAM) were shorten timing of death of under-five pneumonia patients. Factors such as sex, residence, Season of Diagnosis, Comorbidity, Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM), Patient refer status and Patient to Nurse Ratio (PNR) were associated with the survival time of under-five pneumonia in this study. The concerned body should give attention for the factors identified in these study to prevent the mortality of under-five children due to pneumonia.