Prevalence And Factors Associated With Diarrhea Among Children Less Than Five Years Old In Kabarole District, Uganda

Abstract

About 1.7 billion cases of diarrhea occur every year around the globe, leading to deaths and severe long term sequelae such as decreased cognitive function and stunted growth. About 90% of such deaths occur in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia. Uganda is among the 15 countries that account for almost three quarters of all deaths from diarrhea among children under-five years old. This study therefore aimed at identifying diarrhea prevalence and its risk factors among children under five years old. A community-based cross sectional study was carried out in Kabarole district in Uganda from December 2015 – January 2016. A random sample of 367 subjects from Rwimi Sub County and East Division constituted the study population. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered guide. Logistic regression was used to identify the association of variables with diarrhea occurrence in children under five years old.Three hundred sixty three subjects were recruited in the study. Mean ages for mother/care takers and under-five children were 28.99 years and 26.54 months respectively. Among mother/care takers, 79% had formal education, and 61% had a household monthly income < UGX90,000. Prevalence of diarrhea over a 7 days period preceding the study was 33%. After controlling for all possible confounders, only 5 factors were associated with diarrhea; fetching water from open well (ORadj = 3.23, 95%CI = 1.34 – 8.01), poor level of practice (ORadj = 49.74, 95%CI = 16.22 – 152.52), reheating of left-over food (ORadj = 0.40, 95%CI = 0.21 – 0.73), and measles as child’s previous disease (ORadj = 22.14, 95%CI = 4.18 – 117.03). Appropriate personal hygiene and household sanitation promotion programs should be implemented to prevent diarrhea in children less than five years old in the study area and likely elsewhere as well.