Background: The Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) strategy uses simple clinical signs for the diagnosis and severity evaluation of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).
Objective: To describe paediatrician awareness of the IMCI strategy for CAP.
Design: A cross-sectional study analysing a descriptive case of severe CAP, presented as part of the Brazilian Board of Paediatrician Evaluation (BBPE) tests.
Results: Eighty-six (774/898) per cent of paediatricians followed the IMCI protocol to treat CAP. Although hospitalisation was considered in 90% of the answers, only 35% based this decision on lower chest indrawing.
Conclusion: The BBPE showed that most physicians are aware of the IMCI recommendations.