Prevalence of Pneumonia and its Associated Factors among Under Five Years Old Children at Tertiary Hospital in Mogadishu Somalia

Abstract

Introduction: A major cause of morbidity and mortality for children under five is still pneumonia. Even with advances in medical science, the illness continues to pose a serious threat to public health, especially in developing nations. This study sought to determine the prevalence of pneumonia and risk factors for the disease in children under five at a tertiary hospital in Mogadishu, Somalia, in order to help develop successful intervention strategies.

Methods: Between February and June 2024, a descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out in a hospital. The Cochran formula was used to determine a sample size of 384 children. The selection of participants was done by simple random sampling. In-person interviews with caregivers and a structured questionnaire modified from reliable sources were used to gather data, as was a review of medical records. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis with chi-square tests were used in the data analysis, which was conducted using SPSS software. A P-value of less than 0.05 was deemed statistically significant.

Result: In total, 356 children under the age of five had their data examined. Children ages 1 month to 1 year made up the majority (n=121,34.0%). There was a 42.1% prevalence of pneumonia. Aspiration incidents were reported in 19.9% of cases, and nearly half of the children had not received any vaccinations. The risk of pediatric pneumonia was significantly higher in children younger than one month (AOR: 2.3, 95% CI:1.59-3.58, p<0.1001), those older than one to two years (AOR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.31-2.74, p=0.001), those older than three to four years (AOR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.24-1.80, p=0.003), and those older than five to seven years (AOR: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.19-3.00, p=0.007). Additionally, there was a significant correlation between pediatric pneumonia and unvaccinated children (AOR: 0.8, 95% CI: 0.60-0.99, p=0.048) and family members with allergic diseases (AOR: 0.7, 95% CI: 0.58 0.96, p=0.020).

Conclusion: The study identifies important risk factors that contribute to the prevalence of pneumonia and emphasizes the substantial burden of the disease among Mogadishu's children under five. These results highlight the critical need for focused public health initiatives, such as increased vaccination rates and better caregiver education. Reducing pneumonia-related morbidity and mortality in this susceptible population requires addressing these factors.