Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 30, 2025
Determining Soil-transmitted Helminth Infection Status and Physical Fitness of School-aged Children
Published on: August 22, 2012
Prevalence of Diarrhea Disease and Associated Factors Among Children Under 5 Years in Geshiyaro Project
Zinabu Assefa Alemu1, Aderajew Mekonnen Girmay1, Kirubel Tesfaye Teklu1
1Nutrition and Environmental Health Research Directorate Ethiopian Public Health Institute Addis Ababa Ethiopia.
Insights
Diarrheal disease affects 11.8% of children under five in Geshiyaro, Ethiopia. Key predictors include child sex, age, water access, hygiene knowledge, open defecation, and rotavirus vaccination status.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Diarrheal diseases are a leading cause of mortality in children under five globally.
- Ethiopia faces an alarming prevalence of childhood diarrhea, with limited research in specific project areas.
- This study addresses the knowledge gap on diarrhea predictors in Geshiyaro project sites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the key predictors of diarrheal disease among children under five in Geshiyaro, Ethiopia.
- To provide data for targeted public health interventions to reduce childhood diarrhea.
- To highlight the association between vaccination status and diarrheal disease occurrence.
Main Methods:
- A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2023.
- Data from 2937 participants were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate logistic regression (STATA v16).
Main Results:
- The 2-week prevalence of diarrhea was 11.8% among children under five.
- Significant predictors included child's sex, age, drinking water service, diarrhea prevention knowledge, open defecation, and rotavirus vaccination (p < 0.05).
- Factors like open defecation and inadequate water services increased diarrhea risk, while rotavirus vaccination showed a protective effect.
Conclusions:
- Childhood diarrhea in the study area is associated with modifiable factors like water access, sanitation, and vaccination coverage.
- A significant proportion of children lacked basic vaccinations, underscoring a need for improved immunization programs.
- Interventions should focus on enhancing vaccine uptake and improving water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices to combat childhood diarrhea.
Background:
Globally, infectious diseases such as pneumonia, diarrhea, and malaria are the leading causes of death for children under 5. Diarrheal disease is a significant public health concern and causes the death of approximately 525,000 children under the age of 5 every year. In Ethiopia, studies revealed that the prevalence of diarrhea among children under 5 years is alarming. However, there has been a shortage of studies regarding the predictors of diarrheal disease in Geshiyaro project implementation sites in Ethiopia. Therefore, this study aimed to fill this gap.
Methods:
A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted from June to July 2023. A total of 2937 participants were enrolled in this investigation. Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed using STATA version 16.
Results:
The 2-week prevalence of diarrhea among children under 5 years was 11.8%. The following factors were significantly associated (p < 0.05) with the occurrence of childhood diarrhea: sex of the child (AOR: 1.6; 95% CI, 1.17-2.19), child age in a month (AOR: 0.5; 95% CI, 0.26-0.94), drinking water service (AOR: 2.6; 95% CI, 1.33-5.25), knowledge on diarrhea prevention (AOR: 1.4; 95% CI, 1.05-1.98), open defecation practice (AOR: 1.9; 95% CI, 1.33-2.74), and rotavirus vaccination (AOR: 1.8; 95% CI, 1.20-2.56).
Conclusions:
This study identified several factors contributing to diarrhea. Besides, it also studied and showed a larger number of children who were not receiving basic vaccines. Therefore, the government and partner organizations should implement effective interventions to increase vaccine coverage and reduce diarrhea.
More Related Videos
04:56Author Spotlight: Advancements in Understanding and Combatting Shigella Infections
Published on: February 9, 2024
03:25Author Spotlight: Exploring Non-Pharmacological Therapies for Chronic Respiratory Diseases — Linking Intestinal Microbiome Insights to COPD Treatment
Published on: December 27, 2024
Related Concept Videos
01:18Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Antimicrobials as Antidiarrheal Agents
01:17Drugs for Treatment of Diarrhea-Predominant IBS
Two specific drugs used in the treatment are alosetron (Lotronex) and eluxadoline (Viberzi). Alosetron, a 5-HT3 antagonist, works by slowing the movement of stools in the gut, reducing bowel...
01:23Anatomy of the Intestines
Small Intestines
The small intestine is an ~7 meter-long tube with an inner diameter of just 2.5 cm. Since most nutrients are absorbed here, the inner lining of the...
01:17Assessment of the Gastrointestinal System I: Subjective Data
Health History
The initial step in assessing the GI system is obtaining a comprehensive health history. This includes inquiring about the patient's history or presence of problems...