Prevalence of upper respiratory tract infections and associated factors among children in Turkey

Abstract

Purpose: Upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) are the most common diseases observed in children aged 0-6 years in Turkey. This study was conducted to investigate URIs in 0-6 year-old children in Turkey. Design and Methods: Data of children aged 0-6 years who were included in the 2014 Turkey Health Survey conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute were collected from their parents.Results: In total, 1,293 and 1,732 children with and without URIs, respectively, were identified. The weighted point prevalence of URIs was 42.23%. Compared with the uninsured and female children belonging to high-income families, insured male children belonging to low-income families were more likely to develop URIs (p < .001). Moreover, comorbidities such as communicable diseases, anemia and diarrhea, and factors like health services utilization were associated with URIs.Analysis of health services utilization highlights that URIs were reported more among the children who had not visited a hospital than among those who had visited a hospital, with an odds ratio of 1.23. Conclusions:The results of this study provide a deeper understanding of sociodemographic, comorbid, and health services utilization factors associated with URIs.These results provide useful insights for pediatric nursing professionals to improve the quality and efficiency of pediatric respiratory nursing services.Practice Implications: Collaborative networks with other health professionals, parents, and public health policy-makers are essential to decrease the prevalence of URIs in Turkey. These study results provide several insights for health professionals to improve pediatric action plans for ultimately improving child health status. K E Y W O R D S children, prevalence, respiratory care, Turkey, upper respiratory tract infections 1 | WHAT IS CURRENTLY KNOWN? Upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) are the most common diseases among children aged 0-6 years in Turkey. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the factors associated with URIs among children. | WHAT DOES THIS ARTICLE ADD?This study adds value by highlighting the prevalence of URIs that was 42.23% among 0-6 year-old children in Turkey during the year 2014.Moreover, male and insured children belonging to low-income families are more likely to experience URIs and communicable diseases (varicella and mumps), diarrhea, and anemia are the comorbidities strongly associated with URIs.