Effects of Improvements in the Health System and Socioeconomic Changes
on Epidemiology of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children
Abstract
Objectives: This study investigated the effects of socioeconomic changes
and health system improvements in the past two decades on the
epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Turkey. Methods:
In total, 1488 children treated with a diagnosis of pneumonia in XXXX
Training and Research Hospital Pediatrics Department between 2016 to
2021 were included in the present study. The patients’ demographic data,
personal and family histories, and socioeconomic status were recorded.
Results: Of the 1488 pediatric patients (46.8% girls; mean age:43.20 ±
41.04 months), 108 were aged 0–6 months (7.3%), 672 were aged 6–24
months (45.2%), 444 were aged 24–60 months (29.8%), and 264 were aged
≥ 60 months (17.7%). In total, 98% of patients underwent routine
vaccination and the rate of seasonal influenza vaccination was 5.6%.
Additionally, 444 patients (29.8%) had chronic disease and 276 of these
had asthma. Furthermore, asthma and cerebral palsy were the most common
chronic diseases. A family history of asthma in first-degree relatives
was present in 396 patients (26.6%). Conclusion: In the past two
decades, there have been substantial changes in the epidemiology of CAP
in Turkey, due to socioeconomic changes, increasing urbanization, and
health system improvements.