Assessment of the Incidence and Contributing Factors of Diarrheal Episodes in Children Under Five Years Admitted to Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, Hoima District

Abstract

Diarrhea is a major public health concern worldwide, with 2.5 billion cases occurring annually among children under five. Nearly three-quarters of child deaths are due to diarrhea, with 16,000 children under five dying daily from preventable causes like pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria. This study aimed to determine factors influencing diarrhea in children under five admitted at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital. A crosssectional study was conducted, with 238 mothers randomly sampled from the population whose children were admitted. The prevalence of diarrhea among children under five admitted at Hoima Regional Referral Hospital was 24.4% at the time of data collection. Factors influencing this high prevalence include the child's vaccination status, the introduction of supplementary foods at an early age, early weaning, and the child's age. Mothers often do not practice exclusive breastfeeding, but introduce their children to other foods at a very early age, coupled with early weaning practices.