Prevalence and correlates of diarrhea.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to estimate the prevalence of acute diarrhea and its correlates in remote rural villages of south Pakistan.


METHODS
The authors selected 1878 children less than 3 years of age through stratified random sampling from 64 villages having the number of children enrolled proportionate to the size of each village, in rural Sindh, Pakistan. Trained field workers completed child physical measurements and maternal interviews.


RESULTS
Among the children examined, 961 (51%) had diarrhea in the preceding 14 days prior to the date of survey. The prevalence of diarrhea was marginally higher among girls than boys (53% versus 49%, odds ratio 1.18, 95% CI 0.98, 1.41). The factors related with higher prevalence of diarrhea were lack of education of mother, lack of exclusive breast feeding, breast feeding for less than one year, roundworm infestation, low weight-for height, night blindness, female sex and number of older siblings more than 2 in the family.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that the acute diarrhea is major problem among children in rural Pakistan. Appropriate intervention programmes should be formulated focused on identified risk factors.
Shah
Syed M
SM
Department of Community Health Sciences, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Pakistan.
Yousafzai
Maqsood
M
Lakhani
Nurudin B
NB
Chotani
Rashid A
RA
Nowshad
Gul
G
D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012424:Rural Population