Risk factors for acute respiratory infections in children under five years attending the Bamenda Regional Hospital in Cameroon

Abstract

BackgroundAcute respiratory infections (ARI) are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in under-five children worldwide. About 6.6 million children less than 5 years of age die every year in the world; 95% of them in low-income countries and one third of the total deaths is due to ARI. This study aimed at determining the proportion of acute respiratory infections and the associated risk factors in children under 5 years visiting the Bamenda Regional Hospital in Cameroon.MethodsA cross-sectional analytic study involving 512 children under 5 years was carried out from December 2014 to February 2015. Participants were enrolled by a consecutive convenient sampling method. A structured questionnaire was used to collect clinical, socio-demographic and environmental data. Diagnosis of ARI was based on the revised WHO guidelines for diagnosing and management of childhood pneumonia. The data was analyzed using the statistical software EpiInfo™ version 7.ResultsThe proportion of ARIs was 54.7% (280/512), while that of pneumonia was 22.3% (112/512). Risk factors associated with ARI were: HIV infection ORadj 2.76[1.05–7.25], poor maternal education (None or primary only) ORadj 2.80 [1.85–4.35], exposure to wood smoke ORadj 1.85 [1.22–2.78], passive smoking ORadj 3.58 [1.45–8.84] and contact with someone who has cough ORadj 3.37 [2.21–5.14].Age, gender, immunization status, breastfeeding, nutritional status, fathers’ education, parents’ age, school attendance and overcrowding were not significantly associated with ARI.ConclusionThe proportion of ARI is high and is associated with HIV infection, poor maternal education, exposure to wood smoke, passive cigarette smoking, and contact with persons having a cough. Control programs should focus on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of ARIs.

<p>Determinants of Acute Respiratory Infection Among Children in Ethiopia: A Multilevel Analysis from Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey</p>

“…9,10 Type of housing, history of parental smoking, respiratory infection among family members and the nutritional status of children were shown to affect the incidence of ARI in children. 10,11 Educational level of mothers is a significant predictor of ARI in children, children from a mother with primary or no education had a higher risk of acquiring ARI. 12,13 It is also shown that the kind of cooking fuel used at the household influences the incidence of ARI in children.…”

“…10,11 Educational level of mothers is a significant predictor of ARI in children, children from a mother with primary or no education had a higher risk of acquiring ARI. 12,13 It is also shown that the kind of cooking fuel used at the household influences the incidence of ARI in children. [14][15][16] In Ethiopia, according to the Ethiopian demographic and health survey (EDHS), the prevalence of ARI in children under five years of age was 13% in 2005, and the magnitude reduced to 7% in EDHS 2011, however, the prevalence remained 7% in EDHS 2016.…”

Cigarette smoke exposure and increased risks of stunting among under-five children

“…21 Recurrent respiratory infections cause inflammatory processes and fever, which increase nutritional requirements for metabolism, and the child experiences a decrease in appetite. 22 The bivariate test result shows that exclusive breastfeeding was a protective factor for stunting in children. It was supported by a study by 23 that breast milk prevented stunting by 1.3 times.…”

Perbedaan Risiko Pneumonia Berdasarkan Pola Asuh dan Paparan Asap Rokok

“…(Handayani, 2016). Penelitian yang dilakukan oleh Tazinya, et al (2018) pada 512 balita di Bamenda Regional Hospital, Cameroon juga menunjukkan hasil serupa, dimana balita dengan ibu berpengetahuan rendah terkait pola asuh ibu memiliki risiko terkena infeksi pernapasan akut sebesar 2,8 kali lebih besar dibandingkan balita yang mempunyai ibu berpengetahuan pola asuh ibu yang baik (Tazinya et al, 2018). Pada balita di Puskesmas Putri Ayu menunjukkan hasil yang signifikan antara pengetahuan dan sikap ibu dengan perilaku ibu dalam melakukan pencegahan penyakit pneumonia pada anak.…”