A comparative clinico-epidemiological study of acute respiratory infections and malnutrition in male and female children of central India

Abstract

Background: In developing countries like India and many, some of the most commonly seen and prevalent conditions are the Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) and Malnutrition in the pediatric age group. It is indeed a necessity of the time to understand the clinic-epidemiological aspects of it and develop an insight, which can help us to assess the ill effects on the child health and strengthen our policy. Methods: A hospital based cross sectional study was carried out in children aged 0-14 years. Children were clinically assessed and diagnosis was made as URTI or LRTI Also anthropometry was performed and accordingly children were divided into categories of No Malnutrition (NM), Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM) and Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) in 'under 5' years age children according to WHO guidelines, whereas children aged 'above 5' years were categorized as per the IAP guidelines. Results: On comparing the various socio-demographic aspects and environmental factors the incidence of Acute Respiratory Infections was found to be more or less equal in both male and female study subjects. The Anthropometric parameters were also similar and the difference was statistically insignificant. In Under 5 Age group study subjects incidence of SAM was 42.5% in male children as compared to 33.33% female children. In Above 5 age group study subjects 50% female study subjects were normal as compared to 42.10% male children. The incidence of overcrowding was 54.23% in male study subjects as compared to 70.73% female study subjects and the difference was found to be statistically significant as (P=0.04). Conclusions: When comparing male and female study subjects the incidence and association of various sociodemographic and environmental factors is more or less similar without any statistically significant difference. However incidence of SAM is slightly higher in males whereas incidence of MAM is slightly higher in females. Also females having overcrowding in their houses are more prone to pneumonia (LRTI) than males.