FREQUENCY OF SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY ILLNESS IN LESS THAN 5 YEARS OLD CHILDREN IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of factors of severe acute respiratory illness among children less than five years of age presenting to a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: Department of Pediatrics, Shifa International Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan, from 18th January 2026 to 18th May 2026. Methodology: A total of 343 children aged 1 to 5 years with severe acute respiratory illness were enrolled through consecutive sampling. Severe acute respiratory illness was assessed on the basis of fever, cough, hospital admission and clinical, oxygen saturation, radiological and laboratory findings. Demographic and associated factors were recorded. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26. Chi-square test was applied. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: All 343 (100%) enrolled children fulfilled the criteria for severe acute respiratory illness. The mean age was 3.04 ± 1.15 years and mean weight was 12.52 ± 3.24 kg. Males were 205 (59.8%) and females were 138 (40.2%), while 188 (54.8%) children belonged to rural areas. Household crowding was present in 124 (36.2%), poor socioeconomic status in 111 (32.4%), illiterate mother in 115 (33.5%), household smoking exposure in 123 (35.9%), domestic animals in 92 (26.8%), and severe acute malnutrition in 38 (11.1%) children. Conclusion: Severe acute respiratory illness was frequent among the studied children, with household crowding, socioeconomic disadvantage, maternal illiteracy and household smoking being common factors.