Abstract
Pneumonia is a leading cause of deaths in infants and young children in developing countries, including the Philippines. However, data at the community level remains limited. Our study aimed to estimate incidence and mortality rates and to evaluate risk factors and health-seeking behavior for childhood pneumonia. A household level interview survey was conducted in Biliran Island, the Philippines. Caregivers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to check if children had symptoms suggesting pneumonia-like episodes from June 2011 to May 2012. Of 3,327 households visited in total, 3,302 (99.2%) agreed to participate, and 5,249 children less than 5 years of age were included in the study. Incidence rates of pneumonia-like episodes, severe pneumonia-like episodes, and pneumonia-associated mortality were 105, 61, and 0.9 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. History of asthma [hazard ratio (HR): 5.85, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.83–7.08], low socioeconomic status (SES) (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02–1.20), and long travel time to the healthcare facility estimated by cost distance analysis (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.09–1.61) were significantly associated with the occurrence of pneumonia-like episodes by the Cox proportional hazards model. For severe pneumonia-like episodes, a history of asthma (HR: 8.39, 95% CI: 6.54–10.77) and low SES (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.17–1.45) were significant risk factors. Children who had a long travel time to the hospital were less likely to seek hospital care (Odds ratio: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.19–0.54) when they experienced severe pneumonia-like episodes. Incidence of pediatric pneumonia-like episodes was associated with a history of asthma, SES, and the travel time to healthcare facilities. Travel time was also identified as a strong indicator for health-seeking behavior. Improved access to healthcare facilities is important for early and effective management. Further studies are warranted to understand the causal relationship between asthma and pneumonia.
Highlights
Pneumonia is one of the most important global health problems in children less than 5 years of age, especially in developing countries
Lower socioeconomic status (SES) [Hazard Ratio (HR): 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.20], a preterm birth (HR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.12–3.13), a history of asthma diagnosis (HR: 5.85, 95% CI: 4.83–7.08), drinking natural water or water from the well (HR: 1.44, 95% CI: 1.13–1.85), and a longer travel time to the closest medical facility (HR: 1.32, 95%: 1.09–1.61) yielded significant associations with the occurrence of pneumonia-like episodes
Risk factors associated with the occurrence of pneumonia-like episodes included a low SES, a history of asthma, the age of the child, a preterm birth, and the travel time to the healthcare facility
Summary
Pneumonia is one of the most important global health problems in children less than 5 years of age, especially in developing countries. Pneumonia is one of the factors hindering the achievement of MDG4, because it remains to cause 1.4 million deaths of children under the age of 5 years annually, accounting for 18% of overall mortality in this age group globally [2]. The estimated incidence rate of pneumonia in children less than 5 years of age in the Western Pacific region is 110 per 1,000 person-years [3]. The Philippines is a middle-low income country in the Western Pacific region. According to the annual reports from its Department of Health (DOH), pneumonia is ranked as the 1st leading cause of death in children aged 1–4 years [4]
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