Abstract:

Introduction: Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) is the most common cause of mortality in children under five years of age. Its treatment and care costs a lot and if left untreated, can cause irreversible side effects. Prevention is more important than treatment and for prevention, identifying predictive factors are essential.

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the personal, familial and social characteristics of infants with ARI.

Methods: The present study is a descriptive study which covered past two weeks in 27 Health centers in Rasht city. Sample included 375 infants up to 12 months of age which consisted 0.7% of all infants in Rasht and were chosen by simple sampling. Parents were asked about their infants regarding ARI in past 2 weeks and finally 149 ill infants and 220 healthy children were assessed. The data collection tool included a questionnaire and data were analyzed through Chi-Square and Logit by soft ware SPSS10.

Results: Findings showed that there was a significant relationship between ARI and personal, characteristics such as age (OR=375/1, P=002/0), order of children (P=011/0), familial characteristics such as mothers ^, age under 25 (OR=292/0), parents ^, education (P=035/0, P=028/0), mean monthly income under 100/000 Tomans (OR=1/689 , P=0/043), residential housing(p= 0/024) , smoking more than 10 cigarettes daily by parents (P=0/036 , OR= 3/038), one of house residents with ARI(P=0/000) , and social characteristics such as other children in schools or day care centers(P=0/047 , P=0/015) , no medical insurance (P=0/044) and living in houses smaller than 70 square meters with family member more than 4(P=0/025).

Conclusion: In order to decrease ARI in infants, their exposure to others must be limited in second six months of life, and also no more than four people in the house, satisfactory economic condition, educated parents, healthy smoking, knowledge of ARI transmission, and proper house square meters with number of family members must be acknowledged.

Key words: Child, Epidemiological Factors, Respiratory Tract Infection