Predisposing Factors of Community Acquired Pneumonia in Under-Five Children

Preeti Srivastava,Ashish Kumar Roy,Asit Kumar Mishra

doi:10.4172/2472-1018.1000101

Abstract

Objective: Pneumonia is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in under five children in developing countries. Hence, the present study was undertaken to identify the various predisposing factors for pneumonia in children aged 1 month to 5 years. Methods: Sixty pneumonia cases fulfilling the inclusion criteria, in the age group of 1 month to 5 years were interrogated for potential predisposing factors as per a predesigned proforma. Sixty healthy control children in the same age group were also interrogated. Results: The significant predisposing factors for pneumonia were overcrowding (p value < 0.001), lack of exclusive breastfeeding for first 6 months in babies less than 1 year old (p value < 0.05), incomplete immunization for age (p value < 0.001) and malnutrition (p value < 0.001). On logistic regression analysis, overcrowding and malnutrition were significant independent risk factors. Conclusion: The present study has identified many demographic, nutritional and environmental pre-disposing factors for pneumonia which can be tackled by effective health education of the community and appropriate initiatives taken by the government.

Highlights

Despite dramatic advances in human health, under 5 mortality remains alarmingly high
UNICEF in statistics on child mortality have shown that every year, almost 10.5 million children die before their fifth birthday; i.e., 30,000 children every day! Half of the deaths in under 5 children can be directly attributed to just 5 diseases-pneumonia, diarrhoea, malaria, measles and AIDS [1]
In our study incomplete immunization for age was significantly associated with pneumonia [80% vs. 38.33%, ‘p’ value < 0.001].In our study incomplete immunization for age was significantly associated with pneumonia [80% vs. 38.33%, ‘p’ value < 0.001].Further, on separately analyzing the association of pneumonia with DPT, Measles and Hib vaccination, it was seen that DPT and Measles immunization was not significantly associated with pneumonia as 78.33% of cases and 83.33% of controls had received DPT vaccine and 84% of cases and 85.7% of controls had received Measles vaccine

Summary

Introduction

Despite dramatic advances in human health, under 5 mortality remains alarmingly high. The International Consultation on Control of Acute Respiratory Infections, December 1991, reported that there are links between environmental risk factors [such as; smoke , outdoor air pollution, indoor pollution, passive smoking, overcrowding] and risk factors in the child [that is low birth weight, malnutrition, measles, breastfeeding and vitamin A deficiency] with acute respiratory infections. Many of these risk factors are amenable to corrective measures. The following study was undertaken to identify the various predisposing factors of community acquired pneumonia in fewer than five children

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion