Community Acquired Pneumonia among Children Admitted in a Tertiary Hospital: the Burden and Related Factors.

OBJECTIVE To find out the hospital burden of pneumonia and preventable factors associated with the disease. DESIGN Prospective cross sectional study. SETTING The paediatric ward of Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Western Kenya. SUBJECTS All the children admitted to the paediatric wards and found to have clinical features consistent with pneumonia. RESULTS One thousand eight hundred and eighty two children were included in the study out of whom pneumonia was responsible for 13.23% and 5.5% of all deaths. Degree of severity was used to classify patients into mild pneumonia, severe pneumonia and very severe pneumonia each group comprised 12%, 70% and 18% respectively. Parents in age group 21 to 25 years (OR 2, CI 1.07 - 3.63) and use of firewood /charcoal (OR 4.23, CI 3.9 - 4.6) were risk factors for mild pneumonia. Unemployment (OR 2.7, CI 2 - 3.2), age group 21 to 25 years (OR 4, CI 1.2 - 6.4) and use of firewood/charcoal (OR 1.1, CI 1.02 - 1.26) were risk factors for severe pneumonia. CONCLUSION Pneumonia accounted for less number of admitted children compared to previous study. Use of firewood or charcoal as source of fuel and mothers in age group 21 - 25 years were independent risk factors for mild pneumonia and severe pneumonia.