title: Hospitalizations and Deaths Because of Respiratory and Diarrheal Diseases Among Haitian Children Under Five Years of Age, 2011-2013.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Respiratory and diarrheal diseases are leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children younger than 5 years in developing countries. Data on the burden of these diseases in Haiti are scarce.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a retrospective review of hospital admission registries during January 1, 2011-December 31, 2013 for children younger than 5 years in 6 hospitals in Haiti. We recorded the number of all-cause, respiratory and diarrheal disease admissions and deaths by epidemiologic week and age.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 31,565 hospital admissions and 1763 deaths were recorded among children aged <5 years during the study period. Respiratory diseases accounted for 9183 (29%) hospitalizations and 301 (17%) deaths. Children aged 6-23 months had the highest percentage of hospitalizations attributable to respiratory diseases (38%), whereas children aged 36-47 months had the highest proportion of deaths attributable to respiratory diseases (37%). Respiratory disease hospitalizations followed a bimodal seasonal pattern, with peaks during May-June and October-December. Diarrheal diseases accounted for 8063 (26%) hospitalizations and 224 (13%) deaths. Children aged 6-11 months had the highest percentage of diarrhea-associated hospitalizations (39%) and deaths (29%). Diarrheal disease admissions peaked in January-April before the rainy season.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Respiratory and diarrheal diseases contributed to more than half of hospitalizations and almost a third of deaths in children younger than 5 years in Haiti. These data are essential to assess the impact of pneumococcal and rotavirus vaccines and other interventions in Haiti.
authors.affiliation: From the *Hubert Global Health Fellowship, †Division of Global Health Protection, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; ‡Laboratoire National de Sante Publique, Ministry of Public Health and Population, Port-au-Prince, Haiti; §Epidemic Intelligence Service, ¶Division of Viral Diseases, ‖Influenza Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia; **Surveillance and Epidemic-Prone Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Port-au-Prince, Haiti; and ††Global Immunization Division, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia.
authors.forename: Kavita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vinekar
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schaad
authors.forename: Mentor Ali
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ber Lucien
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Leshem
authors.forename: Ikwo K
authors.initials: IK
authors.lastname: Oboho
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Stanley
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Juin
authors.forename: Fatimah S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Dawood
authors.forename: Umesh
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Parashar
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: Rania A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Tohme
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D012189:Retrospective Studies