Correlates of diarrhoea among children below the age of 5 years in Sudan.
BACKGROUND
The Millennium Development Goals recognise child health and survival as an important socio-development issue.


OBJECTIVE
To determine the correlates of diarrhoea among children aged below 5 years in north Sudan.


METHODS
We conducted secondary data analysis of the Sudan Multiple Cluster Indicators Survey II.


RESULTS
Altogether, 23,295 children were included in the survey. Half (50.0%) of the children were males, and 22.5% of them were of age less than one year. Boys were 3% (p=0.044) more likely to have diarrhoea compared to girls. Compared with the oldest age group (48-59 months), children less than 6 months of age and those aged 36-47 months had 25% and 18% lower prevalence of diarrhoea, respectively, while children aged 6-24 months and those aged 24-35 months had 1.5 fold and 1.17 fold higher prevalence of diarrhoea. Children in urban areas were 6% more likely to have diarrhoea. Children from households with 1 or 2 people per room were 8% less likely to have diarrhoea compared to children from households with more than 3 people per room.


CONCLUSIONS
Diarrhoea was associated with child's age, gender, and social status. Our findings provide a useful baseline for interventions and comparisons with future studies.
Public Health Unit, Clinical Sciences Department, School of Medicine, Copperbelt University, Ndola, Zambia.
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Siziya
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Muula
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Rudatsikira
D017677:Age Distribution; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013397:Sudan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
Sudan; child health; diarrhoea; morbidity; under-five