1Assistant Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Sri Amritsar, Punjab, India
2Postgraduate Student, Department of Paedodontics, Guru Nanak dev Dental College & Research Institute, Sunam
3Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chintpurni Medical College, Pathankot
4Professor & Head, Department of Community Medicine, Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Sri Amritsar, Punjab, India
*Corresponding author: Dr. Anil Sood, E-mail: dranilsood79@gmail.com
Online published on 1 October, 2015.
A longitudinal community based study was conducted among the population of a rural community in the Verka block of District Amritsar from December 1998 through February 1999 to determine the incidence, risk factors, morbidity associated with acute respiratory tract infection in children under 5 years of age. Data were obtained from a total of 503 children, who were visited twice weekly for detection of risk factors. The overall incidence of ARI was 4.41 episodes per child. The highest incidence was observed in the age group of 1–2 years (average 1.3) and lowest rates were observed in age group of 0–1 year (avg.1.03) years. The incidence was higher in boys than in girls. Lower socio-economic status, un-immunized, children of parents who smoke, environmental pollution, unfed breast milk children, had the greater risk of ARI episodes. An increase in magnitude of ARI was observed with the decrease of literacy rate.
Risk Factors, Acute Respiratory Tract Infection, under-five children
