Prevalence and Determinants of Chest-Related Symptoms of Acute Respiratory Tract Infections among Children below 5 Years in Upper Egypt

Abstract

Background: Acute respiratory infection is an infection that affects children younger than 5 years from 3 to 8 episodes per year. 1.2. Aim of the Study: identification the prevalence of chest-related ARI symptoms among children less than 5 years in Upper Egypt and its determinants. Methods: The Secondary analysis was done based on data sets of Egypt Demographic Health Survey (DHS) 2008 targeting 4,745 children living in Upper Egypt Governorates. Results: The present study included 4,745 children less than 5 years in Upper Egypt who included in DHS 2008 with the mean age 28.27 months. It was found that 891 suffered from a cough during the two-week period before the DHS survey with a prevalence of 18.8%. Less than three quarters of them had experienced short or rapid breathing because of a problem in the chest or/and the nose. Children aged 6 to 23 months and male children were the most likely had chestrelated acute respiratory tract infection symptoms. Conclusion: Children aged 6 to 23 months and male children were the most likely had the symptoms.