COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HEALTHCARE OUTCOMES FOR MALE AND FEMALE AT EMERGENCY PAEDIATRIC UNIT OF FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE KEFFI, NASARAWA STATE

This study conducts a gender-based comparative analysis of clinical outcomes at the Emergency Pediatrics Unit of Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Keffi, utilizing a dataset encompassing key indicators such as admission rates, discharge outcomes, transfers, mortality, and diagnoses of sepsis, malaria, and pneumonia. The objective was to assess gender disparities in clinical outcomes and evaluate the structural differences in predictive relationships across male and female pediatric patients. Descriptive statistics highlighted a consistent male predominance in both frequency and severity of cases. Inferential analysis using Chi-square tests revealed statistically significant associations between gender and specific diagnoses, notably sepsis (p < 0.05) and malaria (p < 0.05). To further assess model stability across subgroups, regression analysis was performed, and the Chow test was employed to evaluate the existence of structural breaks in outcome models by gender. The Chow test yielded statistically significant results (F > F-critical, p < 0.05), indicating that gender moderates the relationship between independent clinical variables and outcomes, thus justifying separate regression models. The findings underscore the necessity for gender-specific protocols in pediatric emergency care and advocate for targeted policy interventions to address underlying biological and sociocultural determinants contributing to observed disparities.