Socioeconomic profile of children hospitalized by community acquired pneumonia/Perfil socioeconomico de criancas hospitalizadas por pneumonia adquirida na comunidade

Acute respiratory infections are frequent and are the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to verify the socioeconomic profile of children hospitalized with communityacquired pneumonia. We realized a prospective study where social data were collected by direct interview conducted with parents and guardians and supplemented by information from medical records of children under five years of age hospitalized in wards at Hospital Infantil Pequeno Principe in the city of Curitiba. All children had clinical and radiological diagnosis of pneumonia. Twenty-two children were included in the study so. Eighteen children (82%) had family incomes below three minimum wages. In 36% (n = 8) of cases the mother worked outside the home. Living with household smokers was also observed in 36% of cases. Elementary education was found in 82% of mothers. Seventeen children (77%) were breastfed for less than six months. Nine children attended day care. Less than 14% (n = 3) of the children were daughters of teenage mothers. This study underscored the importance of socioeconomic factors on the morbidity of community pneumonia in childhood, being family income, maternal education and early weaning the factors most frequently rated among the internees. Keywords: pneumonia, child, socioeconomic factors. As infeccoes respiratorias agudas sao frequentes e constituem a principal causa de morbimortalidade infantil. O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar o perfil socioeconomico das criancas hospitalizadas por pneumonia adquirida na comunidade. Foi realizado um estudo prospectivo em que foram levantados dados sociais pela entrevista direta realizada com pais e responsaveis de criancas com menos de cinco anos de idade e complementados por dados do prontuario medico, hospitalizadas em enfermarias no Hospital Infantil Pequeno Principe na cidade de Curitiba. Todas as criancas apresentavam diagnostico clinico e radiologico de pneumonia. Vinte e duas criancas foram incluidas no estudo. Dezoito criancas (82%) apresentavam renda familiar menor que tres salarios minimos. Em 36% (n = 8) dos casos a mae trabalhava fora de casa. Convivio domiciliar com fumantes tambem foi observado em 36% dos casos. Ensino fundamental completo foi encontrado em 82% das maes. Dezessete criancas (77%) foram amamentadas por periodo menor que seis meses. Nove criancas frequentavam creche. Menos de 14% (n = 3) das criancas eram filhas de maes adolescentes. O estudo sinalizou a importancia da in