Potential risk factors contributing to acute respiratory infections in under five age group children

Abstract

Background: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity in India, especially in under-fives. In the developing countries, out of ten, seven deaths in under 5 children, are due to ARI. ARI contributes to 15-30% of all under-five deaths in India, and most of these deaths are preventable. Aims & Objectives: To study the potential risk factors and prevalence of ARI in under five children living in rural area of Moradabad district. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was carried out among 278 under-five children. A questionnaire that included information regarding demographic profile, housing conditions, type of cooking fuel used, birth weight, birth order, feeding practices of the child and pet keeping was used. Results: Out of the 278 children, 27.69% were suffering from ARI. Majority of those with ARI were males (74.02%) and were aged between 12 to 47 months (59.74%). The percentage of ARI was significantly higher (<0.001) among children having low birth weight, and those not exclusively breastfed. The percentage of ARI was also significantly higher among children having no smoke outlet in their houses (<0.05), those with dampness in their houses (<0.001) and among those having pets (<0.05). Conclusion: Incidence of respiratory infections cannot be reduced without an overall increase in social and economic development.