Prevalence and risk factors of severe pneumonia among children aged below 5 years at Jinja Referral Hospital

Abstract

Background: Severe Pneumonia is ranks as number one contributor to mortality among children under age 5 years, leading to mortality estimated at 2400 children a day globally and in Uganda, severe pneumonia is the second leading cause of death among children under the age of five years (data shows that 21% of all under-five deaths are due to respiratory infections). The main aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with severe pneumonia among aged children 2-59months seen at Jinja regional referral hospital. Methods: Hospital based cross-sectional study was employed on 216 child-mother pairs. Data was collected using structured and pre-tested questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 25 software. Odds Ratio along with 95% confidence interval was estimated to identify determinates of pneumonia and p values <0.05 were considered significant. Results: Prevalence of severe pneumonia among under-five children was 6.5%. Lack of formal education (primary and below), use of wood for cooking were identified risk factors. Conclusion: Prevalence of severe pneumonia in under-five children is low. Identified risks can be prevented and controlled through community mobilization on health benefits and improved ventilation in cooking places prevent under five severe pneumonia