Determinants of in-hospital mortality within 48 hours of admission to the Emergency and Urgent Care Department at University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia: a retrospective cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe emergency department (ED) serves as a critical entry point into hospital care and a sentinel indicator of health system performance. In-hospital mortality within 48 hours of ED admission represents acute care failures that are often preventable yet remain poorly characterized in sub-Saharan African (SSA) settings. This study aimed to identify the demographic, clinical, and hospital-related determinants of in-hospital mortality within 48 hours of admission to the Emergency and Urgent Care Department at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), Lusaka, Zambia. MethodsA retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using 385 patient records from UTHs Emergency and Urgent Care De