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Risk factors for deaths due to respiratory infections among Brazilian infants
C G Victora1, P G Smith, F C Barros
1Departmento de Medicina Social, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Brazil.
Insights
Low socioeconomic status and lack of breastfeeding significantly increase infant mortality risk from respiratory infections in Brazil. Protective factors include breastfeeding and higher paternal education.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Infant mortality due to respiratory infections remains a significant global health challenge.
- Socioeconomic and environmental factors are known to influence child survival rates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify key risk factors associated with infant mortality from respiratory infections in a Brazilian population.
- To analyze the impact of socioeconomic status, feeding practices, and environmental conditions on infant mortality.
Main Methods:
- A population-based case-control study was conducted.
- 127 infant deaths from respiratory infections (cases) were compared with 254 neighborhood controls.
- Multivariate analysis was employed to identify significant risk factors.
Main Results:
- Low socioeconomic status, including parental education, was a primary risk factor.
- Lack of breastfeeding, inadequate supplementation, crowding, family size, poor sanitation, low birthweight, and young maternal age were significant.
- Multivariate analysis highlighted breastfeeding, father's education, number of young children, family income, and birthweight as most critical.
Conclusions:
- Socioeconomic status and infant feeding practices are crucial determinants of respiratory infection mortality in Brazilian infants.
- Interventions targeting socioeconomic improvement and promotion of breastfeeding are vital for reducing infant mortality.
Abstract:
In a population based case-control study, 127 Brazilian infants who died due to a respiratory infection were compared with 254 neighbourhood controls. The main risk factors associated with mortality were low socioeconomic status (including low levels of parental education) and--after adjustment for socioeconomic status--lack of breastfeeding, lack of supplementation with non-milk foods, crowding, the number of under-fives in the family, lack of a flush toilet, low birthweight, low weight-for-age and having a young mother. In a multivariate analysis, the variables found to be most closely associated with mortality were breastfeeding, education of the father, the number of under-fives, family income and birthweight. Having a low weight-for-age was also strongly associated with mortality but the retrospective nature of the study makes this finding difficult to interpret.