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Risk factors for fatal diarrhoea: a case-control study of Ethiopian children

B Lindtjørn1

  • 1Centre of International Health, University of Bergen, Norway.

Scandinavian Journal of Infectious Diseases
|January 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

Diarrhoea in young children is a significant threat, especially in Ethiopia. Key risk factors for fatal outcomes include severe dehydration, fever, pneumonia, malnutrition, and older age, necessitating targeted interventions.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Diarrhoea remains a leading cause of mortality in children under five globally.
  • Ethiopia faces a substantial burden of childhood diarrhoeal diseases.
  • Identifying risk factors is crucial for effective prevention and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify risk factors associated with mortality in children under five with diarrhoea.
  • To develop a simple scoring system for identifying high-risk children.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective case-control study design.
  • Involved 21 fatal cases and 84 controls of children under five with diarrhoea.
  • Data collected from a hospital in southern Ethiopia.

Main Results:

  • Severe dehydration, fever, pneumonia, acute and chronic malnutrition, and age over 12 months were significantly associated with death.
  • A predictive scoring system for mortality risk was developed.

Conclusions:

  • Specific clinical signs and conditions significantly increase the risk of death in young children with diarrhoea.
  • The developed score system can aid in early identification and management of high-risk children, potentially reducing mortality.

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