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Effects of Improvements in the Health System and Socioeconomic Changes on Epidemiology of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Children
  • +2
  • ahmet bolat,
  • melike arslan,
  • necati balamtekin,
  • yüksel aydoğmuş,
  • bülent ünay
ahmet bolat
Ankara Gülhane Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi

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melike arslan
Ankara Gülhane Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
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necati balamtekin
Ankara Gülhane Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
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yüksel aydoğmuş
Ankara Gülhane Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
Author Profile
bülent ünay
Ankara Gülhane Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi
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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.