Magnitude and Associated Factors of Intraoperative Hypothermia among Adults Undergoing General Anesthesia: A Cross-Sectional Study at a Tertiary Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background Perioperative hypothermia is a common complication of general anesthesia resulting from impaired thermoregulation and is associated with adverse outcomes, including coagulopathy, surgical site infections, and delayed recovery. Evidence on its magnitude and associated factors remains limited in low-resource settings. This study aimed to determine the magnitude and identify factors associated with intraoperative hypothermia among adult patients who underwent elective surgery under general anesthesia at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College. Methods An institution-based cross-sectional study design using a stratified random sampling method was used for adult patients who met the inclusion criteria. Data were analyzed via Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26, frequency of distribution, mean, percentages, binary logistic regression, and cross-tabulation between the dependent and independent variables were used to describe and summarize the relationships between different variables to assess the magnitude and associated factors of intraoperative hypothermia. Results A total of 261 study participants participated in this study. The magnitude of intraoperative hypothermia was 36.8%. After adjustment for confounders in the multivariable analysis, a duration of anesthesia > 2 hours (AOR = 3.33, 95% CI (1.24–8.93), P = 0.017), intraoperative blood loss ≥ 500 ml (AOR = 3.50, 95% CI (1.09–11.17,), P = 0.034) and fluid administration > 2000 ml (AOR = 4.61, 95% CI (1.73–12.26), P = 0.002) were significantly associated with intraoperative hypothermia with p values less than 0.05. Conclusions The magnitude of intraoperative hypothermia at St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College was 36.8%, with prolonged anesthesia, intraoperative blood loss, and fluid administration identified as significant risk factors. Patients at higher risk should be closely monitored, and operating rooms should be equipped with temperature monitors and active warming devices.