PREVALENCE AND FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH DIARRHEA MORBIDITY IN CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE YEARS IN TEPI TOWN: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Introduction: Diarrhea is defined as having three or more loose or liquid stools per day. The risk of a child dying before becoming five years of age remains highest in the AFRICAN Region, which is approximately seven times higher than that in the EUROPEAN Region. In Ethiopia, the prevalence rate of diarrhea was 12 % according to 2016 EDHS estimates.

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence and associated factors with diarrhea among children under 5 years of age in Tepi town.

Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in 133 mothers/ care takers in Tepi town, Hibret Kebele. Binary logistic regression models were used to calculate the odds ratios.

Results: The two-week prevalence of diarrhea among children under five was 24.1%. The diarrhea prevalence of female were 75.2% (OR=0.248), 95% CI: 0.084-0.738, family had 1000-2000 income per month was 39.1% (OR=0.609), 95% CI 2.351-8.682, family which had greater than 2000 income was 45.9% ( OR=0.541); 95% CI: 1.025-2.134, completed primary educational levels 73.6% (OR=0.264), 95% CI: 0.075-0.932, protected source of drinking water were 67.8% (OR=0.322), 95% CI: 0.106-0.982, and no latrine were 18.8% (OR=3.188), 95% CI: 1.087-9.348 were significant predictors of diarrhea. In this study, the prevalence of diarrhea was high, which was significantly associated with sex, income of family, education level, source of drinking water, and availability of latrine. Therefore, efforts should be invested to generate a protected water sources, educate parents about the importance of using a protected and qualified water sources to reduce the exposure of children to diarrhea morbidity and mortality.