Prevalence of Diarrheal Disease and Associated Risk Factors in Wolaita

Though the relationship between environmental risk factors and the occurrence of diarrhea in children have been documented elsewhere, there are limited studies in Ethiopia in general and in Soddo Town in particular. The present study assessed the prevalence and associated risk factors of under-five children diarrheal disease. Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Soddo town, Southern Ethiopia. Nine hundred seventy (970) mothers/ care takers of index under-five children living in the households selected by systematic random sampling from Kebeles in the town constituted the study population. Data were collected using structured and pre-tested questionnaire, entered into a computer, edited and cleaned by using Epi info version 3.5.4 and analyzed using SPSS for windows version 16.0. Binary logistic regression model was used to calculate the Odds ratios and 95% confidence interval for the different risk factors and the level of significance was set at P < 0.05. As diarrheal disease was major problem among under-five children in Soddo town. Appropriate intervention programs targeting Child birth spacing and improving the monthly income of households should be designed.