Lower respiratory tract infection in children attending primary health care centres

Abstract

Wheezing bronchitis and pneumonia are frequent childhood diseases. They are the most frequent clinical presentation in primary health care, causing hospitalization, predisposing to chronic illness, become complicated and cause the death of the child. A cohort of 475 children with an age of less than 15 years was studied. All received attention in an outpatients clinic in the north of Santiago. They consulted at least for one of the causes aforementioned within the period April to July 1999. They were followed-up for a period of 8 months. To obtain information a questionnaire was attached to the health care record of each child. Results: The observation rate was 26.9/100 child-months. This rate decreased from 38% in children under 1 year to 29% at 1 year, 23% in pre-school children and 20% in schoolchildren. 60.2% had wheezing bronchitis, 29.7% has pneumonia and only 10.1% both. 61.7% had one or two episodes during the follow-up period, the maximum number of episodes was 14. 69.3% were ill during 3-15 days, one child being ill during 60 days of the 8 month follow-up period. The median number of consultations was 3.8 and the maximum 22. Only 5.2% needed hospitalization. 50% of the children were exposed to cigarette smoke in their homes. Wheezing bronchitis and pneumonia are significantly more frequent in males and children younger than one year.