title: Prevalence and correlates for diarrhoea in the mountainous informal settlements of Huye town, Rwanda.
abstract: Dwellers of urban informal settlements in developing countries are consistently reported to be victims of high diarrhoea prevalence. Studies have frequently reported the association between high diarrhoea prevalence and other factors, such as poor living conditions, inadequate hygiene, and sanitation in these settings. However, little is known about the dynamics of diarrhoea prevalence in mountainous urban informal settlements similar to the Rwandan context. This study was conducted in the Matyazo cell of Huye town to review the prevalence and correlates of diarrhoea. A survey of 214 households and transect walks in the neighbourhoods were conducted during the rainy and dry seasons. Logistic regression was used to analyse the survey data while the thematic analysis technique was used to analyse qualitative data. Results indicated a substantial reduction of diarrhoea prevalence from the rainy to the dry season. It was also found that the prevalence was unequally distributed in the neighbourhoods according to household location. After controlling for other household characteristics and sanitation conditions of around homes, the study indicated that households established at 1800 metres or more above sea level were protected against diarrhoea during both rainy seasons (Adjusted Odds Ratio_ AOR: .42, 95% Confidence Interval_ CI: .13-.81) and dry seasons (AOR: .58, CI: .12-.90) while households found further from the road were likely to suffer from diarrhoea during rainy seasons (AOR: 3.32, CI: 1.47-7.48) as well as in dry seasons (AOR: 1.60, CI: 1.26-4.10). Poor sanitation within and around homes was also found to be associated with the increase of diarrhoea in either season. However, the evidence was not sufficient enough to confirm a significant association between diarrhoea prevalence and other household characteristics. We believe this is due to the strength of environmental factors in mountainous settings.
authors: Centre for Environment, Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Development, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda ; Centre for Population Studies and Research, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors: Dieudonné
authors: D
authors: Uwizeye
authors: Centre for Population Studies and Research, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
authors: Cosmas H
authors: CH
authors: Sokoni
authors: Urbanization and wellbeing research program, African Population and Health Research Center, Nairobi, Kenya.
authors: Caroline W
authors: CW
authors: Kabiru
keywords: Diarrhoea; Mountainous environment; Neighbourhoods; Rwanda; Sanitation status; Urban informal settlements