Determinants of Severe Malaria Among Hospitalized Children in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Narrative Review with Comparative Data from an Urban Referral Hospital in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
Abstract
Badianjile Kena Moses, Isantu Sinaley Fatou and Simplice Kanza
Background: Severe malaria remains a major cause of pediatric morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in rapidly urbanizing settings.
Objective: To synthesize evidence on determinants of severe malaria among children in sub-Saharan Africa and compare these findings with aggregated institutional data from an urban referral hospital in Kinshasa.
Methods: A narrative review of literature published between 2010 and 2024 was conducted, complemented by descriptive analysis of aggregated hospital data from the Centre Hospitalier University Renaissance (CHUR).
Results: Determinants of severe malaria included young age, low socioeconomic status, poor housing conditions, environmental sanitation deficits, delayed healthcare seeking, and self-medication. Findings from CHUR were consistent with regional evidence.
Conclusion: Severe malaria in African children is driven by interconnected social, environmental, and healthcare factors, particularly in large urban settings such as Kinshasa.