Prevalence and Factors Associated Pneumonia among Children below Five Years Attending Peadiatric Ward at Bushenyi Health Center IV, Bushenyi District

Ogwang Ambrose

Faculty of Clinical Medicine and Dentistry, Kampala International University, Uganda.

ABSTRACT

Pneumonia is a life-threatening lower respiratory tract infection caused by various microorganisms like viruses, bacteria, or fungi. In Uganda, pneumonia is a leading cause of death among children under five years old, along with malaria and diarrhea. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with community-acquired pneumonia among children below five years attending the pediatric ward at Bushenyi Health Center IV in Bushenyi District, Uganda. A mixed cross-sectional hospital-based study was conducted from April to May 2017 using a prepared questionnaire to collect data on demographics, socioeconomic factors, and environmental risk factors. A total of 135 children below five years of age attending the pediatric ward were enrolled in the study. Out of the 135 participants, 27.4% had pneumonia, while 72.6% tested negative. The majority (78.5%) of the participants were from rural areas, and a significant proportion of mothers (34.1%) and fathers (31.1%) had not completed primary school education. Regarding environmental factors, 45% of mothers used both charcoal and wood as cooking fuel, 61.5% lived in non-cemented houses, and 23.7% of children stayed near or on their mothers’ backs while cooking. Additionally, 6.7% of respondents were smokers, with 4.4% smoking inside the house. The study identified a comparatively high prevalence of pneumonia among children aged 0-5 years. Modifiable risk factors for pneumonia included low socioeconomic status and environmental factors such as indoor air pollution from the use of solid fuels for cooking. The study recommends implementing public health initiatives to improve socioeconomic conditions and promote the use of alternative cooking methods that produce less smoke.

Keywords: Pneumonia, children under five, prevalence, socioeconomic factors, environmental factors.

CITE AS: Ogwang Ambrose (2024). Prevalence and Factors Associated Pneumonia among Children below Five Years Attending Peadiatric Ward at Bushenyi Health Center IV, Bushenyi District. RESEARCH INVENTION JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL AND APPLIED SCIENCES 3(1):104-110.