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Determinants of pneumonia among under-five children in Oromia region, Ethiopia: unmatched case-control study
Olana Yadate1, Aman Yesuf1, Fufa Hunduma1
1School of Public Health, St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College, Addis Ababa City Administrative, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Insights
Pneumonia in Ethiopian children is linked to insufficient breastfeeding, lack of Vitamin A, and poor home environments. Interventions should focus on exclusive breastfeeding, supplementation, and improved hygiene and ventilation.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of under-five mortality globally and in Ethiopia.
- Under-five children in Ethiopia face significant morbidity and mortality due to pneumonia.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the key determinants of pneumonia in children under five years old.
- To inform targeted public health interventions in the South West Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.
Main Methods:
- An unmatched case-control study was conducted with 199 cases and 199 controls.
- Data were collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS version 23.
- Logistic regression identified predictors of pneumonia with a P-value of 0.05 or less.
Main Results:
- Key risk factors identified include breastfeeding for less than 6 months (AOR: 3.51), lack of Vitamin A supplementation (AOR: 3.56), and history of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) (AOR: 9.66).
- Childcare practices (AOR: 6.46), indoor overcrowding (3-5 persons/room: AOR: 2.90; >5 persons/room: AOR: 3.88), wood fuel use (AOR: 3.02), and inadequate ventilation (not opening windows) (AOR: 2.56) were also significant predictors.
Conclusions:
- Pneumonia in under-five children is associated with suboptimal breastfeeding, nutritional deficiencies, URTI history, poor childcare, overcrowding, indoor air pollution, and inadequate ventilation.
- Interventions promoting exclusive breastfeeding, Vitamin A supplementation, early URTI management, improved hygiene, ventilation, and reduced indoor air pollution are crucial for pneumonia prevention.
Background:
Pneumonia is the single largest infectious disease that causes more under-five morbidity and mortality than any other infectious disease in the world, including Ethiopia. The aim of this study is to assess determinants of pneumonia among under-five children in the South West Shewa Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia, 2021.
Methods:
We used an unmatched case-control study design from March 15 to April 30, 2021, in the South West Shewa Zone, Ethiopia. A sample of 398 (199 cases and 199 controls) participated in the study. Trained data collectors through a pre-tested structured questionnaire collected data. We used Epi Info to enter data and analyzed using SPSS version 23. We described our data using descriptive statistics. We identified predictors of pneumonia using logistic regression analysis. We declared predictors of pneumonia at a P-value of 0.05 or less.
Results:
Breastfeeding for less than 6 months [AOR:3.51, 95%CI:(1.12,11.00)], lack of Vitamin A supplementation [AOR:3.56,95%CI:(1.58, 8.05)], history of URTI [AOR:9.66, 95%CI:(4.69,19.87)], family child care practices [AOR:6.46, 95%CI, (2.83,14.76)], sleeping with three to five persons in a room [AOR:2.90, 9%CI: (1.23,6.84)], having above five persons in a room [AOR: 3.88, 95%CI: 1.02,14.77), use of wood as a source of fuel [AOR = 3.02 95% CI: 1.41,6.46)] and not opening windows [AOR:2.56 95%CI: (1.21,5.41)] were independent factors of pneumonia among under five children.
Conclusion:
Pneumonia is associated with breastfeeding for less than 6 months, lack of vitamin A supplementation, history of URTI, types of childcare practice, indoor overcrowding, use of wood as a source of fuel, and not opening windows. Therefore, exclusive breastfeeding, improving vitamin A supplementation, early control of respiratory tract infection through promoting good hygiene and ventilation strategies in crowded homes, and promoting how to reduce indoor air pollution through affordable clean stoves will be relevant interventions to reduce under-five pneumonia.
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