Diarrhea Prevalence and Associated Factors among Children in Azezo Sub-City, Northwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

ABSTRACT. Globally, diarrheal disease continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality among children under 5 years of age, especially in low-income countries such as Ethiopia. However, there is still limited evidence in the study area quantifying the burden of diarrheal disease among children under 5 years. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in April 2019 to estimate the prevalence of childhood diarrhea and to identify its associated factors in Azezo sub-city, northwest Ethiopia. A simple random sampling technique was applied to recruit the eligible cluster villages with children under 5 years. Data were collected by interviewing mothers or guardians using structured questionnaires. The completed data were entered into EpiInfo version 7 and exported to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Binary logistic regression model was used to identify factors associated with diarrheal disease. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) with 95% CI was used to measure the strength of association between the dependent and independent variable. The period prevalence of diarrheal disease among children under 5 years was 24.9% (95% CI: 20.4–29.7%). Age group between 1 and 12 months [AOR: 9.22, 95% CI: (2.93–29.04)] and 13 and 24 months [AOR: 4.44, 95% CI: (1.87–10.56)], as well as low monthly income (AOR: 3.68, 95% CI: (1.81–7.51)] and poor handwashing practice [AOR: 8.37, 95% CI: (3.12–22.52), were significantly associated with high risk of childhood diarrhea. In contrast, small family size [AOR: 0.32, 95% CI: (0.16–0.65)], and immediate consumption of prepared meals [AOR: 0.39, 95% CI: (0.19–0.81)] were significantly associated with low risk of childhood diarrhea. Diarrheal diseases were a common health problem among children under 5 years of age in Azezo sub-city. Therefore, an appropriate hygiene intervention program through health education is recommended with a focus on identified risk factors to reduce the burden of diarrheal diseases.