Coutilisation of oral rehydration solution and zinc for treating diarrhoea and its associated factors among underfive children in East Africa: a multilevel robust Poisson regression

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Date
2024-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
British Medical Journal Publishing Group
Abstract
This study aimed to assess the coutilisation of oral rehydration solution (ORS) and zinc for treating diarrhoea and its associated factors among under-5 children in East Africa. Cross-sectional study design. Multilevel Poisson regression analysis with robust variance was fitted to identify predictors of zinc and ORS coutilisation. An adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) with a 95% CI was reported to declare the statistical significance. Twelve East African countries. 16 850 under-5 children who had diarrhoea were included in the study. In East African nations, the coutilisation of ORS and zinc for the treatment of diarrhoea in children under 5 was 53.27% with a 95% CI (52.54% to 54.01%). Children of mothers with primary education (aPR 1.15, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.20), secondary education (aPR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.14), higer education (aPR 1.19, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.29), those from maternal age category of 20-24 (aPR 1.14, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.21), age category of 25-29 (aPR 1.13, 95% CI 1.06 to 1.21), age category of 30-34 (aPR 1.09, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.16), those from wealthy households (aPR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.09) and those who have a media exposure (aPR 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.08) were more likely to receive combination. Only half of the under-5 children with diarrhoea in East Africa were treated with a combination of ORS and zinc. To increase the use of the suggested combination therapy of ORS with zinc, it is important to empower women through education and prevent teen pregnancy.
Description
Keywords
oral rehydration solution (ORS; diarrhoea; children in East Africa.
Citation
Legesse, Bruck Tesfaye, Wubet Tazeb Wondie, Gezahagn Demsu Gedefaw, et al. 'Coutilisation of Oral Rehydration Solution and Zinc for Treating Diarrhoea and its Associated Factors among Under-Five Children in East Africa: A Multilevel Robust Poisson Regression', BMJ Open, vol. 14/no. 3, (2024), pp. e079618.