Diarrheal morbidity and predisposing factors among children under 5\u2009years of age in rural East Ethiopia

Ephrem Tefera Solomon,Helmut Kloos,Bezatu Mengistie,Sirak Robele Gari

doi:10.1186/s41182-020-00253-4

Abstract

BackgroundDiarrheal diseases remain a leading cause of preventable death among children under-five in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In Ethiopia, diarrhea is the major contributor to deaths for children under the age of 5 years. In order to develop prevention strategies for the alleviation of childhood diarrhea, it is necessary to identify the important predisposing factors. These predisposing factors have been observed to vary by location across Eastern Ethiopia. Moreover, the evidence on prevalence and determinants of diarrhea among children under 5 years of age in Dire Dawa and its suburbs is very limited and those available have been erratic. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and predisposing factors of diarrhea among children under the age of 5 years in rural Dire Dawa, East Ethiopia.MethodsA community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in rural Dire Dawa City Administration in May 2018. Multistage sampling technique was employed to recruit 1180 under-five children from the rural population of Dire Dawa City Administration. Data on socio-demographic, environmental, and child- and hygiene-related factors were collected by trained data collectors using a structured questionnaire. Logistic regression was used to identify independent risk factors for childhood diarrhea.ResultsThe 2-week prevalence of diarrhea among the under-five children was 23% (95% CI 20.8–25.7%). Maternal diarrhea (AOR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.10–4.47), handwashing after contact with child feces (AOR = 6.27, 95% CI 2.01–19.55), use of a dipper to draw water from containers (AOR = 2.88, 95% CI 1.41–5.89), and presence of a refuse disposal facility (AOR = 2.47, 95% CI 1.09–5.60) were the significant predisposing factors of diarrhea.ConclusionOur study identified a high burden of childhood diarrheal disease in rural Dire Dawa City Administration in Eastern Ethiopia. The identified risk factors were maternal diarrhea, handwashing after contact with child feces, use of a dipper to draw water from containers, and presence of refuse disposal facility. To minimize the risk of diarrhea, health education programs focusing on good hygiene practice and sanitation as well as early treatment are recommended.

Highlights

Diarrheal diseases remain a leading cause of preventable death, especially among children under-five in lowand middle-income countries (LMICs) [1]
In this study, we explored the socio-demographic, environmental, and child- and hygiene-related predisposing factors of diarrhea in children younger than 5 years of age in rural areas of Dire Dawa City Administration
Despite efforts made by different stakeholder to alleviate the health problem related with childhood diarrhea, this public health problem needs further investigation to identify the possible predisposing factors and to plan and implement prevention strategies

Summary

Introduction

Diarrheal diseases remain a leading cause of preventable death, especially among children under-five in LMICs [1]. Similar studies detected predisposing factors such as maternal history of recent diarrhea, lack of latrines, age of the child [6], and absence of refuse disposal facilities [7] in Ethiopia. Some practices such as use of treated water, handwashing before feeding under-five child, and use of narrow-mouth container for storage of drinking water have been noted to significantly lower the risk of childhood diarrhea [8, 9]. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and predisposing factors of diarrhea among children under the age of 5 years in rural Dire Dawa, East Ethiopia

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion