Acute respiratory infection is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in under five children in developing countries. Identification of modifiable risk factors for acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI) may help in reducing the burden of the disease.

Objective : To identify various modifiable risk factors for ALRI in children aged 1 month to 5 years.

Design : A prospective case control study.

Setting : An Urban teaching Hospital and referral center.

Subjects : Cases included are children in the age group of 1 month to 5 years fulfilling the WHO criteria for Pneumonia. Controls included healthy children in the same age group.

Methods : 104 ALRI cases and 104 control children were interrogated for potential modifiable risk factors as per a predesigned proforma.

Results : The significant sociodemographic risk factors were parental illiteracy, low socioeconomic status, overcrowding and partial immunization, [p value <0.05 in all the cases] The significant nutritional risk factors were administration of prelacteal feeds, early weaning anemia, rickets and malnutrition [p value <0.05 in all the cases]. The significant environmental risk factors were use of kerosene lamps, biomass fuel pollution and lack of ventilation [p value <0.05 in all the cases].

Conclusion : The present study has identified various socio-demographic, nutritional and environmental modifiable risk factors for ALRI. The above risk factors can be tackled by effective health education of the community and appropriate initiatives taken by the government leading to healthy community.

Karnataka Pedicon 2005 - Conference Abstracts.Pediatric Oncall [serial online] 2006 [cited 01 January 2006];3. Available from:
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acute_lri_in_children.asp