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Acute respiratory infections in children: a community based longitudinal study in south India

D Acharya1, K S Prasanna, Sreekumaran Nair

  • 1Deptt. of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, Karnataka.

Indian Journal of Public Health
|January 16, 2004
PubMed

Insights

This study found that acute respiratory infections (ARI) in children under three occurred frequently, with most cases being simple coughs and colds. However, infants and children in poor housing conditions with smoke exposure faced a higher risk of developing pneumonia.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Epidemiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) are a major cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally.
  • Understanding the incidence and risk factors of ARI in specific community settings is crucial for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the incidence and characteristics of acute respiratory infections (ARI) in children under three years of age in a coastal community.
  • To identify risk factors associated with ARI and pneumonia in this pediatric cohort.

Main Methods:

  • A community-based longitudinal cohort study was conducted in Malpe, Karnataka, India.
  • A cohort of 91 children under three years were followed for one year with fortnightly observations.
  • Data collected included ARI episodes, duration, type (cough & cold, pneumonia, severe pneumonia), and housing conditions.

Main Results:

  • The overall incidence of ARI was 6.42 episodes per child per year, with an average episode duration of 5.06 days.
  • Simple cough and cold constituted 91.3% of ARI episodes; pneumonia occurred in 8.2% and severe pneumonia in 0.51%.
  • Pneumonia incidence was significantly higher in infants (p<0.00002), and children in poor housing with smoke-producing conditions had more frequent ARI (p<0.002).

Conclusions:

  • ARI is common in young children in this coastal community, with pneumonia posing a significant risk, especially for infants.
  • Poor housing and indoor smoke exposure are identified as key environmental risk factors for ARI.
  • Public health strategies should focus on improving housing conditions and reducing indoor air pollution to mitigate ARI and pneumonia burden in children.

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