Comorbidity and Delayed to Seek Medical Treatment as Risk Factors of Severe Pneumonia in Children at Sanglah General Hospital

Background Childhood pneumonia remains a leading killer of children in developing countries, where it accounts for up to 21 % of deaths in children under the age of five years. Severe clinical pneumonia is caused by a combination of exposure to risk factors related to the host, environment and infection. Approximately 13 % of pneumonia cases are severe enough to require hospitalization. Studies on the risks factors for severe pneumonia are few in the literature and done more than a decade ago. Objective This study aims to identify risk factors of severe pneumonia in children at Sanglah General Hospital. Methods The study design is retrospective analytic case control, involving 45 childrens with severe pneumonia (case group) and 45 childrens with pneumonia (control group) who came to Sanglah General Hospital. Data was obtained from the initial medical records of pediatric patients with pneumonia and severe pneumonia in Respirology division child health departement Sanglah General Hospital during period January 2015 to December 2016. Results Total of 90 subjects were included in this study and divided in to 45 subjects in case group and 45 subjects in control group. Data shows that males more than females in both groups (64.4 % vs 60.0 %). Most of them are in the age interval 3-60 months (75.6 % vs 68.9 %). Multivariate analysis showed that only having comorbidity (OR 5.4, 95 % CI 1.9 to 15.0) and delay for 3 or more days to seeking treatment in health facility (OR 3.9, 95 % CI 1.4 to 11.0) were significant risk factors of severe pneumonia in children. Conclusion Comorbidity and delay for 3 or more days to seeking treatment in health facility are the main risk factors for severe pneumonia.