Abstract
Introduction:
Childhood pneumonia remains a major health problem in developing countries, including Ethiopia with significant morbidity and mortality. The determinants of pneumonia in children under –five years of age children are numerous and vary widely vary across the regions of the world. Taking the significance of the problem and variability of risk factors, a study is needed to identify the potential determinants of pneumonia in children under-five children years of age.
Methods
A facility-based unmatched case-control study was conducted among 435 children (145 cases and 290 controls) aged 2-59 months at public health facilities in Worabe town from December 28, 2016 to January 30, 2017. Data were collected with a pretested interviewer-administered questionnaire, and entered into Epi info and transferred to SPSS version 22 for analysis. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression was employed with a 95% CI, and a p- value of < 0.05 was used as a determinant of pneumonia.
Results
Among the factors assessed in this study, stunting [AOR=3.6, 95% CI: 1.9-6.9], carrying the child on the back during cooking [AOR= 2.0, 95% CI: 1.2-3.2], absence of chimney in the cooking room [AOR= 2.2, 95% CI: 1.3-3.7], having a history of asthma [AOR= 5.0, 95% CI: 2-12], and a previous upper respiratory tract infection [AOR= 3.7, 95% CI:2.3-6.1] were found to be determinants of pneumonia.
Conclusions
Children with stunting, a previous history of asthma, acute upper respiratory tract infection and carrying the child on back during cooking were at higher risk of pneumonia. Therefore, all health institutions should promote early treatment and provision of health education about the health risk of child exposure to biomass fuel smoke and early health-seeking for childhood illnesses.
Associations of maternal upper respiratory tract infection/influenza during early pregnancy with congenital heart disease in offspring: evidence from a case-control study and meta-analysis
