Spatial distribution of watery diarrhoea in children: identification of "risk areas" in a rural community in Bangladesh.
To assess the geographic variation of acute watery diarrhoea in children 0 to 5 years old in rural Bangladesh, all cases of "cholera-like" diarrhoea were plotted on the map. A clustering pattern was noticed, and validated by a nonparametric clustering test for in-homogeneous population. Several risk areas for the disease were identified. In these areas, the point prevalence (8.7/1000) was notably higher than outside the areas (0.41/1000), (95% confidence interval, 15.55-29.30). Parents' education, population density and use of sanitary latrines were significantly related to the risk areas (p < or = 0.001). The results of this study indicate that computer-assisted mapping may be useful in defining and monitoring risk areas for watery diarrhoea in children.
Myaux
J
J
International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Ali
M
M
Felsenstein
A
A
Chakraborty
J
J
de Francisco
A
A
D001459:Bangladesh / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003906:Developing Countries; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015981:Epidemiologic Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*