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Respiratory illness during winter: a cohort study of urban children from temperate Australia

S B Lambert1, K F O'Grady, S H Gabriel

  • 1Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Australia. s.lambert@unimelb.edu.au <s.lambert@unimelb.edu.au>

Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|March 26, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Respiratory illnesses are common in Australian children, with influenza-like illness (ILI) episodes impacting young children and those in daycare. These illnesses lead to significant healthcare use and parental time burdens.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric respiratory health
  • Epidemiology of infectious diseases
  • Public health in Australia

Background:

  • Winter respiratory illnesses pose a significant health burden on urban children.
  • Understanding the epidemiology of these illnesses is crucial for effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the epidemiology and burden of winter respiratory illnesses in urban Australian children.
  • To identify risk factors associated with influenza-like illness (ILI) in this population.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort study involving healthy Melbourne children aged 12-71 months.
  • Daily symptom diaries and resource use logs were maintained by parents during ILI episodes.

Main Results:

  • 118 children experienced 137 ILI episodes over 12 weeks (0.53 episodes/child-month).
  • Younger age, fewer household members, daycare attendance, and higher income were ILI risk factors.
  • Episodes averaged 10.4 days, with high rates of general practitioner visits, antibiotic prescriptions, and hospitalizations, alongside significant parental time costs.

Conclusions:

  • Respiratory illnesses represent a common yet underestimated cause of morbidity in Australian children.
  • Further pathogen-specific data are needed to guide vaccine and treatment strategies.
Abstract

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