Risk factors for respiratory tract infections in children aged 2-5 years.
OBJECTIVE
To study risk factors for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in children aged 2-5 years.


METHODS
A questionnaire was used to chart the number of visits to doctors and the number of antibiotics courses because of RTIs during a 1-year period. The risk factors studied were age, sex, birth weight, breastfeeding, atopy, siblings, smoking and childcare.


METHODS
The catchment area of Oxie health centre in southern Sweden.


METHODS
190 pre-school children.


METHODS
Number of visits to doctors and number of antibiotics courses.


RESULTS
The risk of having to consult a doctor, as well as the risk of receiving treatment with antibiotics, because of RTIs was greater among children at daycare centres than among children who were mostly at home (adjusted OR 2.78 (95% CI 1.34-5.78) and 2.73 (1.38-5.43), respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Attending a daycare centre is the most important risk factor for RTIs in children aged 2-5 years.
Forssell
G
G
Department of Community Medicine, Malmö University Hospital, Sweden.
Håkansson
A
A
Månsson
N O
NO
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004363:Drug Utilization; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents