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Acute respiratory infection in children: a survey in the rural community
M P Tambe1, C Shivaram, Y Chandrashekhar
1Department of Preventive & Social Medicine, B.J. Medical College, Pune.
Insights
Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) affected 7.6% of children under five, with most cases being mild. Nearly 30% of ARI episodes went untreated, often due to hospital distance.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Public Health
Background:
- Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) are a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally.
- Understanding ARI prevalence and treatment patterns is crucial for effective public health interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and incidence of ARIs in children under five.
- To analyze treatment-seeking behaviors and factors influencing treatment access.
- To evaluate the association between treatment source and ARI outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional survey of 10,951 children under five years of age.
- Data collection on ARI prevalence, incidence, severity, and treatment received.
- Statistical analysis to identify associations and influencing factors.
Main Results:
- ARI prevalence was 7.6%, with an annual incidence of 2.6 episodes per child.
- Prevalence was highest in children aged 6 months to 2 years.
- 86.2% of episodes were mild, 1.7% severe; 27.3% received no treatment, often due to distant healthcare facilities.
- No association found between ARI severity and treatment received.
- Outcomes were better with treatment from qualified MBBS doctors compared to other sources.
Conclusions:
- ARIs are common in young children, with a significant proportion not receiving treatment.
- Healthcare accessibility, particularly hospital distance, is a barrier to care.
- Prompt and qualified medical treatment, especially from MBBS doctors, is associated with better ARI outcomes.
Abstract:
The prevalence of Acute Respiratory Infections was 7.6% in a total of 10,951 children below 5 yrs surveyed. The annual incidence was estimated to be 2.6 episodes per child. The prevalence was highest in the 6 months--2 yrs of age. Majority of the episodes were mild in nature (86.2%), while only 1.7% episodes were severe in nature. A substantial number of episodes (27.3%) did not receive any treatment. There was no association between the severity of ARI episodes and the treatment received. Registered medical practitioners were the main source of treatment. Far distance of the hospital was the reason for not receiving any treatment among untreated cases. The outcome was better in those episodes treated by a qualified MBBS doctor, as compared to other sources of treatment.