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Risk Factors Associated with Diarrhea Morbidity Among Children Younger than Five Years in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study

Received: 24 March 2015     Accepted: 7 April 2015     Published: 18 April 2015
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Abstract

This study was conducted in January 2013 to identify risk factors associated with diarrhea morbidity among children younger than 5 years in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana. A total of 378 households were drawn from four Atwima Nwabiagya District communities in the dry season using a systematic random sampling strategy. Quantitative data was collected from eligible households using interviewer-administered questionnaires and spot-checks. The relationships of socio-demographic, environmental, and behavioral factors with childhood diarrhea were assessed via logistic regression. The mother’s age [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.11–11.16] and educational level (aOR = 4.77, 95% CI = 1.85–12.28) and frequent playing on the bare ground with soil by the index child (aOR = 3.14, 95% CI = 1.40–7.05) were significant risk factors of childhood diarrhea. Water storage outside of the dwelling was significantly associated with a lower risk of diarrhea (aOR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.19–0.89). In the study communities, we recommend providing more education to mothers regarding environmentally-related disease transmission mechanisms, encouraging safe disposal of children’s stools, discouraging children from playing with soil on bare floors, and promoting safe drinking water storage.

Published in Science Journal of Public Health (Volume 3, Issue 3)
DOI 10.11648/j.sjph.20150303.17
Page(s) 344-352
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2015. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Childhood Diarrhea, Risk Factors, Dry Season, Ghana

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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Leslie Danquah, Charlotte Monica Mensah, Seth Agyemang, Esi Awuah. (2015). Risk Factors Associated with Diarrhea Morbidity Among Children Younger than Five Years in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study. Science Journal of Public Health, 3(3), 344-352. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20150303.17

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    ACS Style

    Leslie Danquah; Charlotte Monica Mensah; Seth Agyemang; Esi Awuah. Risk Factors Associated with Diarrhea Morbidity Among Children Younger than Five Years in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study. Sci. J. Public Health 2015, 3(3), 344-352. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20150303.17

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    AMA Style

    Leslie Danquah, Charlotte Monica Mensah, Seth Agyemang, Esi Awuah. Risk Factors Associated with Diarrhea Morbidity Among Children Younger than Five Years in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study. Sci J Public Health. 2015;3(3):344-352. doi: 10.11648/j.sjph.20150303.17

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  • @article{10.11648/j.sjph.20150303.17,
      author = {Leslie Danquah and Charlotte Monica Mensah and Seth Agyemang and Esi Awuah},
      title = {Risk Factors Associated with Diarrhea Morbidity Among Children Younger than Five Years in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study},
      journal = {Science Journal of Public Health},
      volume = {3},
      number = {3},
      pages = {344-352},
      doi = {10.11648/j.sjph.20150303.17},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20150303.17},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.sjph.20150303.17},
      abstract = {This study was conducted in January 2013 to identify risk factors associated with diarrhea morbidity among children younger than 5 years in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana. A total of 378 households were drawn from four Atwima Nwabiagya District communities in the dry season using a systematic random sampling strategy. Quantitative data was collected from eligible households using interviewer-administered questionnaires and spot-checks. The relationships of socio-demographic, environmental, and behavioral factors with childhood diarrhea were assessed via logistic regression. The mother’s age [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.11–11.16] and educational level (aOR = 4.77, 95% CI = 1.85–12.28) and frequent playing on the bare ground with soil by the index child (aOR = 3.14, 95% CI = 1.40–7.05) were significant risk factors of childhood diarrhea. Water storage outside of the dwelling was significantly associated with a lower risk of diarrhea (aOR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.19–0.89). In the study communities, we recommend providing more education to mothers regarding environmentally-related disease transmission mechanisms, encouraging safe disposal of children’s stools, discouraging children from playing with soil on bare floors, and promoting safe drinking water storage.},
     year = {2015}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Risk Factors Associated with Diarrhea Morbidity Among Children Younger than Five Years in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study
    AU  - Leslie Danquah
    AU  - Charlotte Monica Mensah
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    AU  - Esi Awuah
    Y1  - 2015/04/18
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.sjph.20150303.17
    T2  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JF  - Science Journal of Public Health
    JO  - Science Journal of Public Health
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    EP  - 352
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2328-7950
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.sjph.20150303.17
    AB  - This study was conducted in January 2013 to identify risk factors associated with diarrhea morbidity among children younger than 5 years in the Atwima Nwabiagya District, Ghana. A total of 378 households were drawn from four Atwima Nwabiagya District communities in the dry season using a systematic random sampling strategy. Quantitative data was collected from eligible households using interviewer-administered questionnaires and spot-checks. The relationships of socio-demographic, environmental, and behavioral factors with childhood diarrhea were assessed via logistic regression. The mother’s age [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 3.52, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.11–11.16] and educational level (aOR = 4.77, 95% CI = 1.85–12.28) and frequent playing on the bare ground with soil by the index child (aOR = 3.14, 95% CI = 1.40–7.05) were significant risk factors of childhood diarrhea. Water storage outside of the dwelling was significantly associated with a lower risk of diarrhea (aOR = 0.42, 95% CI = 0.19–0.89). In the study communities, we recommend providing more education to mothers regarding environmentally-related disease transmission mechanisms, encouraging safe disposal of children’s stools, discouraging children from playing with soil on bare floors, and promoting safe drinking water storage.
    VL  - 3
    IS  - 3
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Geography & Rural Development, CASS, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Department of Geography & Rural Development, CASS, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Department of Geography & Rural Development, CASS, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Universtiy of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Sunyani, Ghana

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