Factors Influencing the Occurrence of Diarrhoea Among Children Under the Age of Five Admitted to Benadir Hospital Mogadishu - Somalia

Abstract

Diarrhea diseases, which kill more than a million children a year worldwide affect under-developed countries like Somalia.The nature of diarrhea is not purely medical, but large part of it is related the social, economic, environmental status. The main objective of this study was to identify factors influencing the occurrence of diarrhea among children under-five years that were attending Benadir hospital, Mogadishu. The questionnaire of the study focused on three key areas of assessment in order to understand how they influence the occurrence of diarrhea in the under-five children: (a) environmental factors (b) Socioeconomic factors and (c) knowledge and awareness levels of parents. A cross- sectional quantitative study was conducted, with a sample of 52 parents and caregivers of children under the age of five attending Benadir hospital. A interview questionnaire was used to collect data during 13th to 19th May 2017, after agreed informed consent. Our study found lack of mother’s knowledge of diarrhea was correlated with increased diarrheal disease incidence in U5 children. 73.1% of respondents answered no to the questions of what causes diarrhea and how it spreads. Similarly, almost 50% of them gave untreated drinking water to their young children. Also our study didn’t find much influence from environmental and socioeconomic factors in the responses of the subjects regarding what influences the occurrence of diarrhea. However, there is a relationship between rural dwelling and lower levels of knowledge and awareness of the diarrhea among respondents. Overall, our study concluded that knowledge of the parents and caregivers have correlated reducing the occurrence of diarrhea in children under-five years. The recommendation of this study that health education should be provided on importance of treating water by boiling and strengthen them in cover containers capacity in implementing preventive interventions, including sanitation, source water improvements, and household water treatment and safe storage. The study also recommended to promoting hand hygiene with detergent (soap, sand) to children care givers should be emphasized as it protects the children against diarrhea and improving water quality at the source and treatment of house hold water and safe strong system.