Child diarrhoea and nutritional status in rural Rwanda: a cross‐sectional study to explore contributing environmental and demographic factors. Issue 8 (16th June 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Sinharoy, Sheela S.; Schmidt, Wolf‐Peter; Cox, Kris; Clemence, Zachary; Mfura, Leodomir; Wendt, Ronald; Boisson, Sophie; Crossett, Erin; Grépin, Karen A.; Jack, William; Condo, Jeanine; Habyarimana, James; Clasen, Thomas
• Is Part Of: Tropical medicine & international health. Volume 21:Issue 8(2016)
• Page Start: 956
• Page End: 964
• Publication Date: 2016-06-16
• Subjects: drinking water -- sanitation -- diarrhoea -- nutrition -- stunting; eau potable -- sanitaire -- diarrhée -- nutrition -- retard de croissance; Agua potable -- agua de para consumo -- saneamiento -- diarrea -- nutrición -- atrofia; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; Public health -- Periodicals; 616.988
• DOI: 10.1111/tmi.12725
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1360-2276

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: To explore associations of environmental and demographic factors with diarrhoea and nutritional status among children in Rusizi district, Rwanda. Methods: We obtained cross‐sectional data from 8847 households in May–August 2013 from a baseline survey conducted for an evaluation of an integrated health intervention. We collected data on diarrhoea, water quality, and environmental and demographic factors from households with children <5, and anthropometry from children <2. We conducted log‐binomial regression using diarrhoea, stunting and wasting as dependent variables. Results: Among children <5, 8.7% reported diarrhoea in the previous 7 days. Among children <2, stunting prevalence was 34.9% and wasting prevalence was 2.1%. Drinking water treatment (any method) was inversely associated with caregiver‐reported diarrhoea in the previous 7 days (PR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.68–0.91). Improved source of drinking water (PR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.73–0.87), appropriate treatment of drinking water (PR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.80–0.96), improved sanitation facility (PR = 0.90, 95% CI: 0.82–0.97), and complete structure (having walls, floor and roof) of the sanitation facility (PR = 0.65, 95% CI: 0.50–0.84) were inversely associated with stunting. None of the exposure variables were associated with wasting. A microbiological indicator of water quality was not associated with diarrhoea or stunting. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in Rusizi district, appropriate treatment of drinking water may be an important factor in diarrhoea in children <5, while improved source and appropriate treatment of drinking water as well as improved type and structure of sanitation facility may be important for linear growth in children <2. We did not detect an association with water quality.