Improved Water and Waste Management Practices Reduce Diarrhea Risk in Children under Age Five in Rural Tanzania: A Community-Based, Cross-Sectional Analysis

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Nicholas Luhende¹  Jennifer Huang²  Federico Palacardo²  Madelon L. Finkel²  Leonardo Albertini Sanchez²  Paul J. Christos²  Claire T. Kenney²  Jason Chua²  Nicholas L. S. Roberts²  John Kwon²  Won J. Kim²  Priyanka Patel²  Paul H. McClelland³ 

[1] ASMK Foundation, Shinyanga P.O. Box 350, Tanzania;Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY 10065, USA;Department of Surgery, NewYork-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital, New York, NY 11215, USA;

关键词: WASH;    drinking water;    diarrhea;    children under five;    prevention;    hygiene;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijerph19074218

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Diarrhea remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among children in developing countries. Water, sanitation, and hygiene practices (WASH) have demonstrated improved diarrhea-related outcomes but may have limited implementation in certain communities. This study analyzes the adoption and effect of WASH-based practices on diarrhea in children under age five in the rural Busiya chiefdom in northwestern Tanzania. In a cross-sectional analysis spanning July-September 2019, 779 households representing 1338 under-five children were surveyed. Among households, 250 (32.1%) reported at least one child with diarrhea over a two-week interval. Diarrhea prevalence in under-five children was 25.6%. In per-household and per-child analyses, the strongest protective factors against childhood diarrhea included dedicated drinking water storage (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.18–0.36; p < 0.001), improved waste management (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.27–0.51; p < 0.001), and separation of drinking water (OR 0.38, 95% CI 0.24–0.59; p < 0.001). Improved water sources were associated with decreased risk of childhood diarrhea in per-household analysis (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.52–0.99, p = 0.04), but not per-child analysis (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.65–1.05, p = 0.13). Diarrhea was widely treated (87.5%), mostly with antibiotics (44.0%) and oral rehydration solution (27.3%). Targeting water transportation, storage, and sanitation is key to reducing diarrhea in rural populations with limited water access.

【 授权许可】

Unknown