Risk Factors for Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) Among Under-five Children in Bangladesh

Acute respiratory infection (ARI) is a major cause of childhood mortality and morbidity in Bangladesh. The aim of this study is to identify the significant risk factors for ARI in children less than five years of age. The data in this study comes from Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) 2004. In this study, a child was considered as having experienced ARI if she or he had cough in the last two weeks preceding the survey with any one of the three symptoms of short but rapid breathing, difficulty of breathing or labored inspiration. Logistic regression was used on various independent variables to find the risk factors. Results showed that child's age, sex, body weight and Vitamin A deficiency were correlated with prevalence of ARI. Additionally mother's characteristics like age, malnutrition, education level, and family's socio-economic status were found to be associated. Recommendations include more specific knowledge of ARI to adolescent mothers from the lowest wealth quintile. A community service which could include home visiting for health education, supplementation of vitamin A, and advice would be an advantage if provided for poor or teenaged pregnant women. This in turn would reduce low birth weight incidence, and subsequently reduce incidence of ARI among these children.Keywords: Acute respiratory infections (ARI); Risk factors; Infant; Child under 5 years; Bangladesh.© 2009 JSR Publications. ISSN: 2070-0237(Print); 2037-0245 (Online). All rights reserved.DOI: 10.3329/jsr.v1i1.1055