title: Factors associated with community-acquired pneumonia in hospitalised children and adolescents aged 6 months to 13 years old.
abstract: According to the World Health Organisation, community-acquired pneumonia is the main cause of paediatric death, accounting for 20 % of deaths in children younger than 5 years old, and 90 % of these deaths occur in non-industrialised countries. This study has as objective to evaluate the influence of socio-economic, environmental and breastfeeding factors on the occurrence of pneumonia. An unmatched case-control study was conducted in children aged 6 months to 13 years old at a children's hospital in Brazil. Multivariate analysis by logistic regression was performed to determine the variables used to predict pneumonia. A total of 252 children were selected. In the adjusted (by age) multivariate analysis, the following variables were associated with community-acquired pneumonia: (a) protective factors: breastfeeding >3 months, absence of other unrelated comorbidities, non-smoking mother, being the only child, child's age >5 years and mother's age >19 years old; (b) risk factors: maternal education <8 years and child's birth order [≥second]. In the multivariate analysis, considering only children from 6 months to 5 years old, the following variables were associated with community-acquired pneumonia: (a) protective factors: breastfeeding >3 months, non-smoking mother and no smokers in the child's bedroom; (b) risk factors: maternal education <8 years and prenatal complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings contribute favourably to effectively minimising the risk factors related to the disease process and natural history of community-acquired pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Triangulo Mineiro (UFTM), Uberaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fabiana J B G
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Barsam
authors.forename: Gabriella S D
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Ana Beatriz A
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Severino
authors.forename: Luane Marques
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: de Mello
authors.forename: Anderson Soares
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Altacílio A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Nunes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001938:Brazil; D001942:Breast Feeding / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires