TY - JOUR
T1 - Prevalence and determinants of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections among children aged under five years in West Africa
T2 - evidence from demographic and health surveys
AU - Owusu, Derrick Nyantakyi
AU - Duah, Henry Ofori
AU - Dwomoh, Duah
AU - Alhassan, Yakubu
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2023.
PY - 2024/1/1
Y1 - 2024/1/1
N2 - Background: Diarrhoea and pneumonia are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children aged < 5 y (under five) globally. This study sought to investigate the prevalence and determinants of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections (ARIs) among children under five in West Africa. Methods: The most recent demographic and health survey (DHS) standard for 13 West African countries was used in the study. We calculated the prevalence of diarrhoea and ARIs (2 wk prior to the survey) and performed multivariable complex logistic regression analysis to identify possible predictors of diarrhoea and ARIs. Results: The weighted prevalence of diarrhoea and ARI was 13.7% and 15.9%, respectively. The prevalence of comorbid diarrhoea and ARI was 4.4%. Children aged < 2 y (p < 0.001), mothers aged < 30 y (p < 0.003), mothers without formal education (p < 0.001), poor households (p < 0.001) and poor nutritional status, wasting (p = 0.005) and underweight (p < 0.001), were the independent predictors of diarrhoea. The independent predictors of ARIs were children with no childhood vaccinations (p = 0.002), use of solid fuel in the household (p = 0.007), being underweight (p = 0.05) and diarrhoea (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings imply the need for holistic public health interventions such as increased vaccination coverage, population-based nutritional programmes and campaigns on the use of cleaner cooking fuel targeted at high-risk subgroups in the population to reduce the burden and adverse effects of diarrhoea and ARIs in the West African region.
AB - Background: Diarrhoea and pneumonia are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children aged < 5 y (under five) globally. This study sought to investigate the prevalence and determinants of diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections (ARIs) among children under five in West Africa. Methods: The most recent demographic and health survey (DHS) standard for 13 West African countries was used in the study. We calculated the prevalence of diarrhoea and ARIs (2 wk prior to the survey) and performed multivariable complex logistic regression analysis to identify possible predictors of diarrhoea and ARIs. Results: The weighted prevalence of diarrhoea and ARI was 13.7% and 15.9%, respectively. The prevalence of comorbid diarrhoea and ARI was 4.4%. Children aged < 2 y (p < 0.001), mothers aged < 30 y (p < 0.003), mothers without formal education (p < 0.001), poor households (p < 0.001) and poor nutritional status, wasting (p = 0.005) and underweight (p < 0.001), were the independent predictors of diarrhoea. The independent predictors of ARIs were children with no childhood vaccinations (p = 0.002), use of solid fuel in the household (p = 0.007), being underweight (p = 0.05) and diarrhoea (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings imply the need for holistic public health interventions such as increased vaccination coverage, population-based nutritional programmes and campaigns on the use of cleaner cooking fuel targeted at high-risk subgroups in the population to reduce the burden and adverse effects of diarrhoea and ARIs in the West African region.
KW - ARI
KW - children under five
KW - demographic health surveys
KW - diarrhoea
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85181542379&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/inthealth/ihad046
DO - 10.1093/inthealth/ihad046
M3 - Article
C2 - 37387288
AN - SCOPUS:85181542379
SN - 1876-3413
VL - 16
SP - 97
EP - 106
JO - International Health
JF - International Health
IS - 1
ER -