Risk factors of acute lower respiratory tract infections in children under five years of age.

This study attempted to identify the determinants of acute lower respiratory-tract infections (ALRI) among children under five years of age, by comparing hundred children hospitalized with ALRI with a control group. Data on socio-demographic, biological and environmental characteristics were collected by interviewing mothers and anthropometric measurements were carried out to assess the nutritional status of the children. Risk of disease in the presence of each exposure was calculated in the univariate analysis and the best explanatory variables among them were identified in the multivariate analysis. The following variables were found to increase the risk of ALRI: (1) history of wheezing, (2) low birth weight, (3) passive smoking, (4) male sex, (5) delivery by cesarean section (6) sharing of sleeping space, (7) not being exclusively breast fed upto the completion of four months, (8) stunting, (9) having pets. The findings highlight some simple strategies which would help in prevention of ALRI.

Incidence of induced abortion determined by the randomised response technique.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incidence of induced abortion using the randomised response technique, and to compare the results with estimates obtained by direct questioning. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Medical Officer of Health area, Homagama. SUBJECTS: Married women in the reproductive age group. RESULTS: The annual incidence of induced abortion for the three year period 1988 to 1990 was 15.7 per 1000 married women of the reproductive age group as estimated by the randomised response technique. Direct questioning led to 30.5% under-reporting of induced abortion. The application of the method failed only in 8.1% of the population studied. CONCLUSIONS: The randomised response technique is a feasible method to use in our population and provides the best estimates of induced abortion.