Community acquired pneumonia among children admitted in a tertiary hospital: the burden and related factors

Abstract

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.