Prevalence of Diarrhoea and Associated Risk Factors among Children under Five in Mulenga Compound, Kitwe, Zambia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: In sub-Saharan Africa, diarrhoea remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children under the age of five.  In Zambia, diarrhoea is the third leading cause of preventable childhood deaths, responsible for 19% of all deaths among under five children. Objective: to determine the prevalence of diarrhoea and to identify the associated risk factors among under five children in Mulenga compound,    Kitwe, Zambia.
Methods: A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Mulenga compound. A total of 127 under five children were randomly  selected for survey. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk factors associated with diarrhoea at 95% confidence interval.
Results: The prevalence of diarrhoea among under five children in Mulenga compound was 29.1%. Diarrhoea was significantly associated with; mothers unemployment, presence of two or more under five children per household, sharing of toilet with other households, open dumping of solid waste, no treatment of drinking water, non-availability of handwashing facilities, disposing of household water waste in public street, and in the surroundings, feeding children with street sold foods, and lack of knowledge on risks and prevention of diarrhoea.
Conclusion: The study found a relatively high prevalence of diarrhoea among under five children in Mulenga compound. As such, there is need to strengthen existing policies on water and sanitation and implement new ones so as to reduce occurrence of childhood diarrhoea.