Acute Respiratory Infections In Children Research Articles

Effects of a large-scale distribution of water filters and natural draft rocket-style cookstoves on diarrhea and acute respiratory infection: A cluster-randomized controlled trial in Western Province, Rwanda.

BackgroundUnsafe drinking water and household air pollution (HAP) are major causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 in low and middle-income countries. Household water filters and higher-efficiency biomass-burning cookstoves have been widely promoted to improve water quality and reduce fuel use, but there is limited evidence of their health effects when delivered programmatically at scale.Methods and findingsIn a large-scale program in Western Province, Rwanda, water filters and portable biomass-burning natural draft rocket-style cookstoves were distributed between September and December 2014 and promoted to over 101,000 households in the poorest economic quartile in 72 (of 96) randomly selected sectors in Western Province. To assess the effects of the intervention, between August and December, 2014, we enrolled 1,582 households that included a child under 4 years from 174 randomly selected village-sized clusters, half from intervention sectors and half from nonintervention sectors. At baseline, 76% of households relied primarily on an improved source for drinking water (piped, borehole, protected spring/well, or rainwater) and over 99% cooked primarily on traditional biomass-burning stoves. We conducted follow-up at 3 time-points between February 2015 and March 2016 to assess reported diarrhea and acute respiratory infections (ARIs) among children <5 years in the preceding 7 days (primary outcomes) and patterns of intervention use, drinking water quality, and air quality. The intervention reduced the prevalence of reported child diarrhea by 29% (prevalence ratio [PR] 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.59–0.87, p = 0.001) and reported child ARI by 25% (PR 0.75, 95% CI 0.60–0.93, p = 0.009). Overall, more than 62% of households were observed to have water in their filters at follow-up, while 65% reported using the intervention stove every day, and 55% reported using it primarily outdoors. Use of both the intervention filter and intervention stove decreased throughout follow-up, while reported traditional stove use increased. The intervention reduced the prevalence of households with detectable fecal contamination in drinking water samples by 38% (PR 0.62, 95% CI 0.57–0.68, p < 0.0001) but had no significant impact on 48-hour personal exposure to log-transformed fine particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations among cooks (β = −0.089, p = 0.486) or children (β = −0.228, p = 0.127). The main limitations of this trial include the unblinded nature of the intervention, limited PM2.5 exposure measurement, and a reliance on reported intervention use and reported health outcomes.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that the intervention improved household drinking water quality and reduced caregiver-reported diarrhea among children <5 years. It also reduced caregiver-reported ARI despite no evidence of improved air quality. Further research is necessary to ascertain longer-term intervention use and benefits and to explore the potential synergistic effects between diarrhea and ARI.Trial registrationClinical Trials.gov NCT02239250.

Phylogenetic analysis of human bocavirus in children with acute respiratory infections in Iran.

Human bocavirus (HBoV) was first characterized in nasopharyngeal aspirates from young children with acute respiratory infections. It is prevalent among children with acute wheezing. This study was carried out in order to analyze the infection frequency and coinfection rates of HBoV with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and to perform phylogenetic analysis of HBoV in samples of children with acute respiratory infection in Isfahan, Iran. During the time period 2016-2017, altogether 75 respiratory samples from children hospitalized with acute respiratory infection were collected. The samples were first screened for RSV by direct immunofluorescence method and then subjected to detect HBoV DNA by PCR. Genotyping of HBoV-positive samples was conducted by direct sequencing of PCR products using NP and VP1/VP2 genes. Out of 75 respiratory samples, 20 (26.7%) and 10 (13.3%) were positive for RSV and HBoV, respectively. The coinfection rate was 40% (p = 0.048). Considering the seasonal distribution, winter has the highest extent outbreak (p = 0.036). Sequence analysis of positive samples exhibits that all of the isolated HBoV were related to genotype 1 (HBoV-1) with minimal sequence variations. Increasing frequency of HBoV suggests that the virus is related to acute respiratory infection in children. A single genetic lineage of HBoV1 seems to be the major genotype in Iran.

Prevalence of acute respiratory infections among under five children in a rural area of Kozhikode district, Kerala

Background: Although childhood acute respiratory infections (ARI) is a significant public health problem in India, robust epidemiological data on its prevalence is not available. This study was done to estimate the prevalence of ARI in under five children and study the factors responsible for the same in a rural area of Kozhikode District.Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in 386 under-5 children in Kunnamangalam panchayat of Kozhikode district from June 2015 to June 2016. Employing cluster sampling technique, data regarding socio demographic factors, prevalence of ARI and selected factors were collected using a pre tested semi structured questionnaire.Results: The overall prevalence of ARI in children was 31.9 %. Prevalence was slightly higher in boys (32.7%) than in girls (31.1%). The prevalence of ARI was more in lower social class children (36.1%), compared to those from upper social class (26.3%). ARI was higher in children living in overcrowded houses (40.2%), poorly ventilated houses (37.8%), houses in which there were no smoke outlets (43.1%), houses having pets (58.6%). Underweight children were also found to have higher rates of ARI (46.5%). Binary logistic regression revealed that after adjusting for all other factors, age less than 1 year (OR 0.48, p=0.02) and nuclear family (OR 0.10, p=0.01) are significant independent protective factors for ARI.Conclusions: Among under-5 children, younger age and membership in a nuclear family are significant protective factors for ARI.

Free hospitalization for acute respiratory infections in children: what effect and how much does it cost for Armenia?

The "Child Certificate" program, launched in Armenia in 2011, made hospitalization for children less than seven years free in order to improve access to hospitalization, reduce out-of-pocket expenses and ensure Universal Health Coverage. We aimed to estimate trends in the number of outpatient and hospitalized acute respiratory infection (ARI) cases and related under-five mortality. Cross-sectional study using data from national databases before (2008-2011) and after (2012-2017) Program implementation. The diagnosis of ARI was based on the International Classification of Disease (ICD-10). The average hospitalization per 1000 children under 14 and infants increased by 85% and 75% respectively, compared with the period before the introduction of the Program, while the frequency of outpatient visits remained unchanged. The ARI-related mortality in children less than five years and in infants decreased by 11% and 19%, respectively. Financial allocations for ARI-associated hospitalizations amounted to 2.1 billion Armenian drams in 2011 and increased to 3.3 billion drams in 2016 (an increase of 57%). For pneumonia, this increase was 108% (from 0.35 to 0.72 billion). The introduction of free hospitalization for ARI led to an increase in the hospitalization rates. There was a favorable decline in under-five mortality and an exponential increase in financial allocations. The reasons for hospitalization should be investigated to ensure rational hospitalization with parallel improvement of primary care to reduce delayed presentations. It is necessary to find ways addressing the growing financial allocations for ARI-associated hospitalization.

DETERMINAN KEJADIAN ISPA NON PNEUMONIA PADA ANAK BALITA DI KELURAHAN KEDUNG SARI KECAMATAN SUKAJADI KOTA PEKANBARU

Non pneumonia Acute Respiratory Tract Infection (ARI) is a respiratory tract disease that is acute with a cough that does not show symptoms of increased respiratory frequency and does not indicate the pull of the lower chest wall inward. The incidence of non pneumonia ARI in children under five in Kedung Sari Village was recorded at 40.06%. This study aims to determine the description and determinant of the incidence of non-pneumonia ARI in children under five in Kedung Sari Village, Sukajadi District, Pekanbaru City in 2019. This type of research is quantitative observational analytic with cross sectional design. The study population was all children under five who lived in Kedung Sari Village, Sukajadi District, Pekanbaru City, amounting to 312 people with a sample of 172 respondents. The sampling technique was done by consecutive sampling. The type of data used in this study are primary data and secondary data by means of retrieving data through measurements and questionnaires. Data analysis was done by univariate and bivariate with chi square test. The results showed that there was a correlation between exposure to cigarette smoke (p-value 0,000) and the incidence of non-pneumonia ARI in children under five. It is expected that health workers, especially in the health promotion section of the community health center in implementing control and eradication programs of Acute Respiratory Tract Infection can provide health education, especially regarding the dangers of cigarette smoke for children under five and recommend smokers to smoke in special places so children under five are not exposed cigarettes.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of OM-85 vs placebo in the prevention of acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in children that attend day-care centers

BackgroundChildren that attend day-care centers frequently contract acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs). ARTIs represent a burden for both children and parents. Systematic reviews on the use of immunostimulants for the prevention of juvenile recurrent ARTIs have provided moderate evidence of efficacy and safety. The aim of the study was to establish whether the immunostimulant, OM-85, was cost-effective in preventing ARTIs in children 2–6 years old that attended day-care centers or preschools in Mexico. We performed a systematic review to evaluate the efficacy of OM-85. For costs, we assumed an institutional perspective, which included the costs of care and supplies over a study period of six months, during the autumn-winter seasons. We created decision trees and constructed a model to identify pharmacoeconomic parameters. We generated 1000 estimations with the bootstrap method to calculate descriptive statistics of pharmacoeconomic parameters. We evaluated cost-effectiveness compared to treatment without immunostimulants.ResultsThe mean (SD) incidences of ARTIs were 5.59 ± 0.29 without immunostimulants and 2.97 ± 0.32 with OM-85, during the study period. The mean (25th, 75th percentile) direct costs of ARTIs were 57.04 (37.11, 76.39) US$ (US dollars) without immunostimulants and 48.53 (37.35, 58.93) US$ with OM-85, with a mean increment of − 8.51(− 17.08, 0.75) US$, and a mean cost-effectiveness of − 17.94 (− 36.48, 1.66) US$. The direct costs plus the cost of one parent missing work to care for the child with ARTI were 125.76 (102.83, 150.16) US$, without immunostimulant and 85.21 (72.15, 98.81) US$, with OM-85. The increment was − 40.55 (− 68.29, − 13.95) US$, and the cost-effectiveness was − 86.89 (− 142.37, − 29.34) US$.Part of the cost reduction was ascribed to the reduced use of medications, particularly antibiotics.ConclusionsOur results were consistent with previous clinical studies conducted in closed institutions in Mexico. OM-85 reduced the number of ARTIs and the frequency of antibiotics use. We concluded that OM-85 was cost-effective for preventing ARTIs in children that attended day-care centers, particularly when parental absenteeism was covered by the institutions.

DETERMINAN KEJADIAN ISPA NON PNEUMONIA PADA ANAK BALITA DI KELURAHAN KEDUNG SARI KECAMATAN SUKAJADI KOTA PEKANBARU

Non pneumonia Acute Respiratory Tract Infection (ARI) is a respiratory tract disease that is acute with a cough that does not show symptoms of increased respiratory frequency and does not indicate the pull of the lower chest wall inward. The incidence of non pneumonia ARI in children under five in Kedung Sari Village was recorded at 40.06%. This study aims to determine the description and determinant of the incidence of non-pneumonia ARI in children under five in Kedung Sari Village, Sukajadi District, Pekanbaru City in 2019. This type of research is quantitative observational analytic with cross sectional design. The study population was all children under five who lived in Kedung Sari Village, Sukajadi District, Pekanbaru City, amounting to 312 people with a sample of 172 respondents. The sampling technique was done by consecutive sampling. The type of data used in this study are primary data and secondary data by means of retrieving data through measurements and questionnaires. Data analysis was done by univariate and bivariate with chi square test. The results showed that there was a correlation between exposure to cigarette smoke (p-value 0,000) and the incidence of non-pneumonia ARI in children under five. It is expected that health workers, especially in the health promotion section of the community health center in implementing control and eradication programs of Acute Respiratory Tract Infection can provide health education, especially regarding the dangers of cigarette smoke for children under five and recommend smokers to smoke in special places so children under five are not exposed cigarettes.

Spatial distribution and determinants of acute respiratory infection among under-five children in Ethiopia: Ethiopian Demographic Health Survey 2016.

BackgroundChildhood acute respiratory infection remains the commonest global cause of morbidity and mortality among under-five children. In Ethiopia, it remains the highest burden of the health care system. The problem varies in space and time, and exploring its spatial distribution has supreme importance for monitoring and designing effective intervention programs.MethodsA two stage stratified cluster sampling technique was utilized along with the 2016 Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) data. About 10,006 under-five children were included in this study. Bernoulli model was used to investigate the presence of purely spatial clusters of under-five acute respiratory infection using SaTScan.ArcGIS version 10.1 was used to visualize the distribution of pneumonia cases across the country. Mixed-effect logistic regression model was used to identify the determinants of acute respiratory infection.ResultIn this study, acute respiratory infection among under-five children had spatial variations across the country (Moran’s I: 0.34, p < 0.001). Acute respiratory infection among under-five children in Tigray (p < 0.001) and Oromia (p < 0.001) National Regional States clustered spatially. History of diarrhoea (Adjusted Odds Ratio (AOR) = 4.71, 95% CI: (3.89–5.71))), 45–59 months of age (AOR = 0.63, 95% CI: (0.45–0.89)), working mothers (AOR = 1.27, 95% CI: (1.06–1.52)), mothers’ secondary school education (AOR = 0.65; 95% CI: (0.43–0.99)), and stunting (AOR = 1.24, 95% CI: (1.00–1.54)) were predictors of under-five acute respiratory infection.Conclusion and recommendationIn Ethiopia, acute respiratory infection had spatial variations across the country. Areas with excess acute respiratory infection need high priority in allocation of resources including: mobilizing resources, skilled human power, and improved access to health facilities.

Acute viral respiratory infections are topical approaches to cough therapy in children

Problem of cough treatment at the background of acute respiratory infections in children was discussed in an article. We presented possibility of plant origin drugs usage in case of acute cough symptom presence. We examined efficacy of syrup Ivy in case of acute respiratory diseases in 40 children from 3 up to 10 years of age that passed treatment in infection-diagnostic department of Vinnytsya regional children’s hospital. We analyzed results of the syrup Ivy usage in patients with acute cough in case of acute respiratory infections with evaluation of the clinical dynamic. Duration and quality changes of the cough, its influence on quality of life, night dreaming were detected. Efficacy of syrup Ivy was checked by comparing of main and control groups. In 92% patients of the main group on the 10 day of the disease cough disappeared completely, in control group – results achieved in 62%. It confirms positive influence of the drug on general condition of the child and clinical manifestation of the disease, sputum production, characteristics of the cough its frequency, etc. Usage of Ivy syrup confirmed clinical efficacy as mucolytic, broncholytic and anti-inflammatory drug for children with symptoms of acute cough in a complex treatment of respiratory system.&#x0D;

Гострі респіраторні захворювання у дітей: ранній стартовий підхід до терапії. Доказова база даних (огляд)

Гострі респіраторні захворювання у дітей: ранній стартовий підхід до терапії. Доказова база даних (огляд)

Physiological care for the mucosa of the nose: prevention of ARVI

The article highlights the role and place of elimination and irrigation therapy in the treatment and prevention of acute respiratory infections in children. Increasing emphasis is being placed on the effectiveness of the combined elimination drug containing trace nutrients and benzalkonium chloride antiseptic (Renorin).

Features of clinical manifestations and complications of acute respiratory infections in children

The article presents data on the prevalence of upper respiratory tract infections in paediatric practice. The following complications may pose health risks: sinusitis, acute suppurative otitis media and chronic tonsillitis. The authors provide statistical data on the prevalence of these complications, a multivariate analysis of the clinical symptoms of the diseases, the main symptoms of which are temperature reaction, leucocytosis, regenerative left shift, increased ESR. Special attention is paid to the choice of antipyretic agents that affect not only the fever, but also the inflammatory reaction of the upper respiratory tract mucosa, which may quickly ease the symptoms of the disease.

Fenspiride use in acute respiratory infections in children

Acute respiratory infections are the most common pathology in childhood, representing not only a medical but also a socio-economic problem. Numerous studies on the use of anti-inflammatory therapy in ARI have shown high efficacy and safety profile of fenspiride. The combination of anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, and antispasmodic properties ensures the success of fenspiride in the treatment of acute respiratory diseases in children. Fenspiride reduces symptoms of ARI, accelerates recovery, reduces the need for additional prescription of other drugs.

Burden of Acute Respiratory Infections Among Under-Five Children in Relation to Household Wealth and Socioeconomic Status in Bangladesh.

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs), as a group of diseases and symptoms, are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among under-five children in tropical countries like Bangladesh. Currently, no clear evidence has been published on the prevalence and socioeconomic correlates of ARIs in Bangladesh. In this regard, we carried out this study with the aim of assessing the prevalence and the socioeconomic predictors of ARIs among children aged 0–59 months, with a special focus on socioeconomic status and wealth-related indicators. Cross-sectional data on 32,998 mother-child (singleton) pairs were collected from six rounds of Bangladesh Demographic and Health Surveys (BDHS 1997–2014). The outcome variable were presence of the common symptoms of ARIs, fever and dyspnea, during the previous two weeks, which were measured based on mothers’ reports about the symptoms of these conditions. Explanatory variables included maternal demographic and socioeconomic factors such as age, education, occupation, wealth quintile, and child’s age and sex. The prevalence and predictors of ARIs were measured using descriptive and multivariate regression methods. The prevalence of both fever (31.00% in 1997 vs. 36.76% in 2014) and dyspnea (39.27% in 1997 vs. 43.27% in 2014) has increased gradually since 1997, and tended to be higher in households in the lower wealth quintiles. Multivariable analysis revealed that higher maternal educational status, access to improved water and sanitation facilities, and living in households in higher wealth quintiles had protective effects against both fever and dyspnea. Findings suggested a significantly negative association between lacking access to improved water and sanitation and use of biomass fuel with ARI symptoms. However, no sex difference was observed in these associations. Based on the findings, childhood ARI prevention strategies should address the risk factors stemming from parental socioeconomic marginalisation, household water and sanitation poverty, and use of unclean fuel.

Development and validation of clinical prediction models to distinguish influenza from other viruses causing acute respiratory infections in children and adults.

Predictive models have been developed for influenza but have seldom been validated. Typically they have focused on patients meeting a definition of infection that includes fever. Less is known about how models perform when more symptoms are considered. We, therefore, aimed to create and internally validate predictive scores of acute respiratory infection (ARI) symptoms to diagnose influenza virus infection as confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from respiratory specimens. Data from a completed trial to study the indirect effect of influenza immunization in Hutterite communities were randomly split into two independent groups for model derivation and validation. We applied different multivariable modelling techniques and constructed Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves to determine predictive indexes at different cut-points. From 2008–2011, 3288 first seasonal ARI episodes and 321 (9.8%) influenza positive events occurred in 2202 individuals. In children up to 17 years, the significant predictors of influenza virus infection were fever, chills, and cough along with being of age 6 years and older. In adults, presence of chills and cough but not fever were highly specific for influenza virus infection (sensitivity 30%, specificity 96%). Performance of the models in the validation set was not significantly different. The predictors were consistently found to be significant irrespective of the multivariable technique. Symptomatic predictors of influenza virus infection vary between children and adults. The scores could assist clinicians in their test and treat decisions but the results need to be externally validated prior to application in clinical practice.

Geographical disparities in emergency department presentations for acute respiratory infections and risk factors for presenting: a population-based cohort study of Western Australian children

IntroductionStudies examining acute respiratory infections (ARIs) in emergency department (EDs), particularly in rural and remote areas, are rare. This study aimed to examine the burden of ARIs among Aboriginal and...

Prevalence, determinants and health care-seeking behavior of childhood acute respiratory tract infections in Bangladesh.

BackgroundAcute respiratory infections (ARIs) are one of the leading causes of child mortality worldwide and contribute significant health burden for developing nations such as Bangladesh. Seeking care and prompt management is crucial to reduce disease severity and to prevent associated morbidity and mortality.ObjectiveThis study investigated the prevalence and care-seeking behaviors among under-five children in Bangladesh and identified factors associated with ARI prevalence and subsequent care-seeking behaviors.MethodThe present study analyzed cross-sectional data from the 2014 Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey. Bivariate analysis was performed to estimate the prevalence of ARIs and associated care-seeking. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the influencing socio-economic and demographic predictors. A p-value of <0.05 was considered as the level of significance.ResultAmong 6,566 under-five children, 5.42% had experienced ARI symptoms, care being sought for 90% of affected children. Prevalence was significantly higher among children < 2 years old, and among males. Children from poorer and the poorest quintiles of households were 2.40 (95% CI = 1.12, 5.15) and 2.36 (95% CI = 1.06, 5.24) times more likely to suffer from ARIs compared to the wealthiest group. Seeking care was significantly higher among female children (AOR = 2.19, 95% CI = 0.94, 5.12). The likelihood of seeking care was less for children belonging to the poorest quintile compared to the richest (AOR = 0.03, 95% CI = 0.01, 0.55). Seeking care from untrained providers was 3.74 more likely among rural residents compared to urban (RRR = 3.74, 95% CI = 1.10, 12.77).ConclusionARIs continue to contribute high disease burden among under-five children in Bangladesh lacking of appropriate care-seeking behavior. Various factors, such as age and sex of the children, wealth index, the education of the mother, and household lifestyle factors were significantly associated with ARI prevalence and care-seeking behaviors. In addition to public-private actions to increase service accessibility for poorer households, equitable and efficient service distribution and interventions targeting households with low socio-economic status and lower education level, are recommended.

Human adenovirus type 7 infection causes a more severe disease than type 3

BackgroundHuman adenovirus type 3 (HAdV-3) and 7 (HAdV-7) cause significant morbidity and develop severe complications and long-term pulmonary sequelae in children. However, epidemiologic reports have suggested that nearly all highly severe or fatal adenoviral diseases in children are associated with HAdV-7 rather than HAdV-3. Here, we conduct in-depth investigations to confirm and extend these findings through a comprehensive series of assays in vitro and in vivo as well as clinical correlates.MethodsA total of 8248 nasopharyngeal aspirate (NPA) samples were collected from hospitalized children with acute respiratory infections in Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from June 2009 to May 2015. Among 289 samples that tested positive for HAdVs, clinical data of 258 cases of HAdV-3 (127) and HAdV-7 (131) infections were analyzed. All HAdV-positive samples were classified by sequencing the hexon and fiber genes, and compared with clinical data and virological assays. We also performed in vitro assays of virus quantification, viral growth kinetics, competitive fitness, cytotoxicity and C3a assay of the two strains. Mouse adenovirus model was used to evaluate acute inflammatory responses.ResultsClinical characteristics revealed that HAdV-7 infection caused more severe pneumonia, toxic encephalopathy, respiratory failure, longer mean hospitalization, significantly lower white blood cell (WBC) and platelet counts, compared to those of HAdV-3. In cell culture, HAdV-7 replicated at a higher level than HAdV-3, and viral fitness showed significant differences as well. HAdV-7 also exhibited higher C3a production and cytotoxic effects, and HAdV-7-infected mice showed aggravated pathology and higher pulmonary virus loads, compared to HAdV-3-infected mice. Macrophages in BALF remained markedly high during infection, with concomitant increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and IL-6), compared HAdV-3 infection.ConclusionsThese results document that HAdV-7 replicates more robustly than HAdV-3, and promotes an exacerbated cytokine response, causing a more severe airway inflammation. The findings merit further mechanistic studies that offer the pediatricians an informed decision to proceed with early diagnosis and treatment of HAdV-7 infection.

Exposure to Conditions of High Concentrations of Indoor Air Pollutants and Prevalence of ARIs in Children under 5 Years of Age, in Ouagadougou/Burkina Faso

Exposure to PM2.5 in indoor air can cause respiratory infections. In Ouagadougou, concentrations of PM2.5 produced in households using biomass were found to be very high by WHO standards (25 μg/m3 for 24 hours). The objective of this study was to highlight the effect of exposure to high concentrations of PM2.5 emitted during cooking on the prevalence of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in children under 5 years of age. This was a case-control study that took place from 16 September to 15 October 2018 in sector 15 of Ouagadougou. The sample size was 125 cases and 250 controls. Data collection was carried out using a grid, by two nurses, at the CSPS in sector 15 and in households. The cases were children diagnosed with ARI and the controls were children diagnosed with a diagnosis other than ARI. The data were entered using Epi data software and analyzed using Stata 12. The associations were expressed in Odds ratios and their confidence intervals were estimated at 95%. The results showed that the use of biomass in indoor kitchens in residential buildings was linked to the occurrence of ARI in children under the age of 5. Living in a house with several bedrooms was a protective factor. This would be explained by the better ventilation within these households.

Prevalence of Self-Medication for Acute Respiratory Infections in Young Children in Namibia: Findings and Implications.

Objective:Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among under-fives. However, self-medication and “self-care” care practices remain common, especially among informal settlements in Namibia. Consequently, we sought to ascertain the rationale for this to guide the future activities.Methods:Mixed method approach among residents in an informal settlement in Namibia to determine the extent of health-seeking behaviors and the rationale for any self-medication.Findings:Of the 100 everyday households surveyed, 60% used self-medication for ARIs in children under five including cold/flu medication, paracetamol, and decongestants. There was no self-purchasing of antibiotics. The main drivers of self-medication were a perceived diagnosis of ARI as “minor or mild” as well as long waiting times and queues to receive care at public health facilities.Conclusion:The majority of households in this settlement self-medicate their children for ARIs. There are needs for outreach primary health care services in the future in townships to screen and appropriately manage ARI to address concerns. This can include increasing pharmacy services.