##submission.abstract##
Background; In more developed countries, it is a common practice to use
pulse oximetry for the diagnosis of hypoxaemia, regrettably, it is not so in
resource limited environments like ours especially in outpatient settings while
carrying out emergency triage assessment. Aim; The aim of this study was to
determine the prevalence of undictated hypoxaemia among children presenting
to the children outpatient clinic of the department of paediatrics at the
University of Port Harcourt teaching hospital. Methods; This descriptive
cross-sectional study of the prevalence of hypoxemia was conducted at the
children outpatient clinic of the department of paediatrics at the University of
Port Harcourt teaching hospital. The room air oxygen saturations of paediatric
outpatients were measured at rest from May, 2019 to September, 2019 using
digital pulse oximetry. Hypoxaemia was defined as SpO2 less than 90% in
room air at rest. Results; A total of 351 children were recruited for the study of
which 201 (57.3%) were males and 150 (42.7%) were females giving a Male:
Female ratio of 1.34:1, 233(66.38%) were under-fives. Prevalence of
hypoxaemia was 40(11.4%). Acute respiratory infection (ARI) was the
commonest condition presenting to the children outpatient clinic in 119(33.9%)
and it was also the condition with the highest prevalence of hypoxia 11
(27.5%) of all the cases with hypoxia followed by malaria 4(10%) and
diarrhoea 4(10%) Oximetry finding enabled patient to be seen faster
( accelerating triaging) and sent to the children emergency room for oxygen
therapy amidst other treatments. In conclusions, there is a high prevalence of
hypoxemia among children presenting at the outpatient clinic of the department
of paediatrics at the University of Port Harcourt teaching hospital. There
should be routine screening for hypoxaemia during emergency triage and
assessment by the outpatient clinic nurses. Pulse oximeter should be made
available to the outpatient clinic nurses by the hospital to enable them routinely
screen for hypoxaemia and prioritize the patients with hypoxaemia among
patients to be quickly seen by paediatricians and oxygen therapy commenced
to reduce morbidity and mortality from hypoxaemia.
Key words: Hypoxia Paediatrics Prevalence Children Pulse Oximetry Oxygen