Abstract
Background: Diarrhea is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under five years, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Unsafe drinking water, poor sanitation, inadequate hygiene, and low maternal education are major contributors. Despite global improvements, diarrhea remains a critical public health issue, causing dehydration, malnutrition, and impaired growth in young children.
Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of diarrhea and identify its main determinants among children under five years in Nawabshah, Sindh, Pakistan.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted over three months in the all Pediatric Wards of Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Hospital, Nawabshah. A total of 147 children under five years of age ,admitted with or without diarrhea ,were recruited using a convenience sampling technique .Data were obtained from caregivers through a structured and pre-tested questionnaire collected data were coded, entered, and analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) Software. Descripretive frequencies, percentages, mean and standard deviation, were applied to summarize and interpret the findings. prior to data collection, ethical approval was secured from the concerned institutional authority.
Results: A total of 147 respondents were included in the study. the age distribution of children showed an approximately normal pattern. with most children falling into middle age categories (scores 2 and 3.) the mean age scores was 2.619 with standard deviation of 1.036.females constituted the majority of responedents ( 66%),while males accounted for (34%). Safe Stool disposal practices were reported by 87.8% of households, whereas 12.2% still practiced un safe disposal methods. The Prevalence of diarrhea within two weeks prior to the survey was high (72.8%).Most respondents stored drinking water in covered containers (95.2%) and had knowledge of proper hand –washing methods (88.4%). overall, the findings indicate a high burden of diarrhea among under-five children, despite relatively good access to water, sanitation, and health services. limited maternal education and inadequate health education from healthcare providers remain important challenges in the effective prevention and home management of childhood diarrhea.
Conclusion: Diarrhea remains a significant health burden among under-five children in Nawabshah. Determinants that can cameover by sanitation, water safty, hygiene education, and caregiver awareness are essential to reduce diarrhea prevalence and improve child health outcomes.