title: Correlates of acute lower respiratory tract infections in children under 5 years of age in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In developing countries, acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRTI) cause considerable morbidity, hospitalisation and mortality in children aged <5 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective case-control study was conducted to identify potential socio-demographic, nutritional  and environmental risk factors for ALRTI. The World Health Organization definition for ALRTI was used for cases. Healthy children attending child immunisation services were enrolled as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 214 children, 107 cases and 107 controls, were enrolled. Among the cases,  pneumonia, severe pneumonia and very severe disease constituted respectively 23.3%, 47.7% and 29%. Among cases and controls, the male-to-female ratio (1.3:1 vs. 0.9:1) and the proportion of infants (64.5% vs. 70.1%) were identical. Parents' literacy level was negatively associated with ALRTI.  On multivariate logistic regression analysis, low socio-economic status (OR 4.89, 95%CI 1.93-12.36), upper respiratory infections in family members (OR 5.32, 95%CI 2.11-13.45), inappropriate weaning period (OR 3.01, 95%CI 1.12-8.07), malnutrition (OR 1.75, 95%CI 1.84-3.67),  pallor (OR 7.18, 95%CI 2.08-24.82) and cooking fuel other than liquid petroleum gas (OR 3.58, 95%CI 1.23-10.45) were found to be significant risk factors (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study identified various risk factors for ALRTI, some of which are modifiable  by effective community education and public health measures.
authors: Department of Paediatrics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, Karnataka, India. docrameshbhat@yahoo.co.in
authors: R Y
authors: RY
authors: Bhat
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Manjunath
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000367:Age Factors; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003296:Cooking; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006798:Housing; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010167:Pallor / Q000453:epidemiology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors