„’Determinants Of Pediatrics Tuberculosis Among Children At Public Health Facilities In Ambo Town‟‟

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis in children often present with non-specific clinical presentations making diagnosis challenging results in health professionals often to overlook Tuberculosis and repeatedly treat them erroneously as sick child not improving to standard treatment in integrated management of childhood illness. Therefore, it is better to reveal determinants of pediatrics tuberculosis that can predispose children to tuberculosis infection to alert, facilitating for actions for health professionals, government and other stakeholders on tuberculosis diseases prevention and treatment. Objective: To identify determinants of pediatrics tuberculosis among children at public health facilities in Ambo town, west Shoa zone, Oromia Ethiopia, 2025. Methods: Institution based unmatched case control study was carried out January 1 to February 30, 2024 at Ambo town public health facilities, among 141 cases and 282 controls. The data were collected using adapted structured questionnaire, then entered in to Epi-info-7, then exported to SPSS version 26. Bi-variables binary logistic regression was used and variables with p-value < 0.25 were entered into multivariable binary logistic regression model. Adjusted Odds Ratios with 95% confidence intervals with respective p-values < 0.05 was used to declare statistical significance. Hosmer and Lemeshow test checked the model fitness. Multi collinearity was checked by variance inflation factor and no strong multi collinearity was identified. Results: From the total sample size considered for the study, only 410 (137 cases and 273 controls) participated in the study which gave 96.9% response rate. The independent predictors of pediatric tuberculosis were, contact history (AOR = 17.31 95% C.I. (13.99-21.87), unavailability of functional window (AOR = 8.86, C.I : 2.67 - 9.36) and presence of animals in the house (AOR =5.91, C.I: 2.099 - 16.65), having malnutrition (AOR = 8.65, C.I: 3.40 - 11.60). Conclusion and recommendations: According to this study children who have contact history of tuberculosis, not vaccinated for measles, unavailability of functional window in house, animals living in the house, have malnutrition are at risk of acquiring the tuberculosis infection, Therefore concerned body is highly recommended to increase public awareness on risk factors of pediatric TB, to separate room for animals living in the house, benefit of availing functional windows in the household, taking care of malnourished children, contact Tracing and contact screening to enhance prevention.