Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
6-2013
Journal
Journal of Global Health
Volume
Volume 3, Issue 1
Inclusive Pages
60-67
Abstract
Background
Diarrhea and acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI) are leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years of age. We sought to quantify the correlation of diarrhea and respiratory infections within an individual child and to determine if infection with one illness increases the risk of infection with the other during the same time period.
Methods
We quantified the likelihood of an ALRI and a diarrhea episode occurring during the same week compared to the likelihood of each occurring independently in two cohorts of children under 3 years of age using a bivariate probit regression model. We also quantified the likelihood of an ALRI episode conditioned on a child’s diarrhea history and the likelihood of a diarrhea episode conditioned on a child’s ALRI history using Cox Proportional Hazard models.
Results
In Indian and Nepali children, diarrhea and ALRI occurred simultaneously more than chance alone. Incidence of ALRI increased in both cohorts as the number of days with diarrhea in the prior 28 days increased; the greatest incident rate ratio was reported among children with 20 or more days of diarrhea (1.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.01 – 1.03 in Nepal and 1.07, 95% CI 1.05 – 1.09 in South India). Incidence of diarrhea was affected differently by ALRI prevalence depending on season.
Conclusions
Diarrhea may be a direct risk factor for ALRI among children under 3 years of age. The risk of comorbidity increases as disease severity increases, providing additional rationale for prompt community case–management of both diarrhea and pneumonia.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
APA Citation
Fischer Walker, C. L., Perin, J., Katz, J., Tielsch, J. M., & Black, R. E. (2013). Diarrhea as a risk factor for acute lower respiratory tract infections among young children in low income settings. Journal Of Global Health, 3(1), 60-67.
Peer Reviewed
1
Open Access
1
Comments
Reproduced with permission of the Edinburgh University Global Health Society. Journal of Global Health.