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COMMUNITY ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA AMONG CHILDREN ADMITTED IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL: THE BURDEN AND RELATED FACTORS
1Department of Paediatrics, Moi University, School of Medicine, P. O. Box 4606, Eldoret, Kenya.
Insights
Pneumonia in children is a significant hospital burden, with indoor air pollution from firewood/charcoal use and maternal age (21-25) identified as key risk factors for severe disease.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Public health
- Environmental health
Background:
- Pneumonia remains a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality globally.
- Understanding hospital burden and associated risk factors is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the hospital burden of childhood pneumonia.
- To identify preventable risk factors associated with pneumonia severity.
Main Methods:
- Prospective cross-sectional study conducted in the pediatric ward of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kenya.
- Included children admitted with clinical pneumonia.
- Analyzed demographic and environmental factors as potential risk factors.
Main Results:
- Pneumonia accounted for 13.23% of admissions and 5.5% of deaths.
- Severe and very severe pneumonia comprised 70% and 18% of cases, respectively.
- Maternal age (21-25 years) and use of firewood/charcoal were significant risk factors for both mild and severe pneumonia.
Conclusions:
- Pneumonia continues to represent a substantial hospital burden in pediatric populations.
- Indoor air pollution from biomass fuel and maternal age are modifiable risk factors for severe childhood pneumonia.
Objective:
To find out the hospital burden of pneumonia and preventable factors associated with the disease.
Design:
Prospective cross sectional study.
Setting:
The paediatric ward of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Western Kenya.
Subjects:
All the children admitted to the paediatric wards and found to have clinical features consistent with pneumonia.
Results:
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two children were included in the study out of whom pneumonia was responsible for 13.23% and 5.5% of all deaths. Degree of severity was used to classify patients into mild pneumonia, severe pneumonia and very severe pneumonia each group comprised 12%, 70% and 18% respectively. Parents in age group 21 to 25 years (OR 2, CI 1.07 - 3.63) and use of firewood /charcoal (OR 4.23, CI 3.9 - 4.6) were risk factors for mild pneumonia. Unemployment (OR 2.7, CI 2 - 3.2), age group 21 to 25 years (OR 4, CI 1.2 - 6.4) and use of firewood/charcoal (OR 1.1, CI 1.02 - 1.26) were risk factors for severe pneumonia.
Conclusion:
Pneumonia accounted for less number of admitted children compared to previous study. Use of firewood or charcoal as source of fuel and mothers in age group 21 - 25 years were independent risk factors for mild pneumonia and severe pneumonia.
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