Pneumonia is a major cause of disease and death in infants and young children (aged <5 years) globally, as it is in the World Health Organization Western Pacific region. A better understanding of the underlying risk factors associated with child pneumonia is important, since pragmatic primary prevention strategies are likely to achieve major reductions in pneumonia-associated morbidity and mortality in children. This review focuses on risk factors with high relevance to the Western Pacific region, including a lack of exclusive breastfeeding, cigarette smoke and air pollution exposure, malnutrition and conditions of poverty, as well as common co-morbidities. Case management and vaccination coverage have been considered elsewhere.
Keywords: breastfeeding; cigarette smoke exposure; indoor air pollution; lower respiratory tract infections; malnutrition.
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