Clinical and Socio-demographic factors associated with time to discharge among diabetic patients at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital in Uganda: a negative binomial analysis

Background Diabetes is an increasing public health concern in Uganda, with prevalence estimated at around 3.1%. The duration of hospital stay is an important indicator of healthcare efficiency and patient outcomes, yet evidence on factors associated with time to discharge among diabetic patients in Uganda remains limited. This study aimed to assess the mean-time to discharge and identify socio-demographic, lifestyle, and clinical factors associated with hospital stay at Kiruddu National Referral Hospital. Methods A retrospective study using secondary data from 640 diabetic patients admitted to Kiruddu National Referral Hospital between January 2017 and December 2022 was conducted. Time to discharge (days) was analyzed using a negative binomial regression model. Results The overall meantime to discharge was 5.33 days, with male diabetic patients experiencing longer hospital stays compared to female patients. Specifically, male patients had a 10.6% longer time to discharge (IRR = 1.106, 95% CI: 1.027–1.192, p = 0.008). Patients aged 60–74 years and > 74 years had 28% (IRR = 1.28; 95% CI: 1.114–1.48; p = 0.001) and 31% (IRR = 1.314; 95% CI: 1.122–1.539; p = 0.001) longer hospital stays, respectively, compared to those aged ≤ 30 years. Smoking and alcohol use were also associated with longer hospital stays: smokers had nearly 76% longer time to discharge (IRR = 1.755; 95% CI: 1.566–1.967; p < 0.001), and patients who consumed alcohol had a 26% longer time to discharge (IRR = 1.26; 95% CI: 1.128–1.407; p < 0.001). Patients with diabetic foot ulcers had a 14% longer time to discharge (IRR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.023–1.267; p = 0.017). Disease duration did not affect time to discharge. Conclusions This study identified age, gender, smoking, alcohol use, and the presence of diabetic foot ulcers as factors associated with longer hospital stay among diabetic patients. Targeted interventions addressing comorbidities in older patients, gender-sensitive health strategies, smoking and alcohol cessation, and early management of diabetic foot complications may help reduce hospitalization duration and improve patient outcomes. Future prospective studies incorporating detailed clinical measures, such as admission blood glucose and HbA1c levels, and using multi-center data are needed to better understand the determinants of prolonged hospital stay and to develop generalizable models.