title: Risk factors for acute respiratory infection in the Australian community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to identify the risk factors for ARI in the Australian community.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used a national survey of 7578 randomly selected respondents in 2008-2009 to identify the risk factors of ARI. A case was defined as a person experiencing cold or flu with one or more symptoms of: fever, chills, sore throat, runny nose, or cough in the previous four weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 19.8% (1505/7578) of respondents who reported ARI in the four weeks prior to the survey. Age was an independent risk factor for ARI, with the risk of acquiring ARI decreasing as age increased. Respondents reporting asthma (OR 1.4, 95%CI: 1.2-1.7) or having someone in their house attending childcare (OR 1.6, 95%CI: 1.2-2.1) were more likely to report ARI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is important to identify ways of interrupting transmission of ARI amongst children. Improving identification of risk factors will enable targeted interventions for this exceedingly common syndrome.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
authors.forename: Yingxi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Statistical Consulting Unit, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
authors.forename: Emlyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
authors.forename: Martyn
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kirk
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014887:Weather; D055815:Young Adult