Incidence of Diarrhea and Contributing Factors in Nakaloke Town Council, Eastern Uganda, among Children Below 5 Years of Age

Abstract

Diarrheal diseases are a major cause of mortality and morbidity in children, with 3.2 million deaths in low and middle-income countries in 2013 due to infectious diseases. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of diarrhea and identify risk factors among children under five years old in Nakaloke Town Council, Mbale District, Uganda. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 parent or caretaker/children pairs between April 3rd and 12th, 2020. Data were collected using pre-tested and structured questionnaires and analyzed using Univariate analysis and modified Poisson regression. The mean age of the study participants was 32.74 months, and the prevalence of diarrhea in the two weeks preceding the study was 36.00%. Maternal and childhood-related factors independently associated with diarrhea included a child's age of ≥45 months, a birth order of 2 versus 1, non-vaccination against Rotavirus, and maternal secondary education versus illiteracy. Water, sanitation, and hygiene-related factors included drinking water from unprotected wall springs and having no handwashing facility beside the toilet. Keywords: Diarrhea diseases, Infectious diseases, Drinking water, Sanitation, Hygiene.