SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC DETERMINANTS OF THE FIRST ATTACK OF DIARRHEA IN INFANTS
Abstract
Background: The importance of diarrhea in infants in Babylon Province in Central Iraq cannot be underestimated as it is a serious impediment to the health and development of children in this resource-strained region of the country. Locally diarrhea is a major cause of attendance at health facilities, remains at the forefront of causes of admission to many of the hospitals in the province, and a significant and often preventable cause of death. Local beliefs in the Middle East about causes of diarrhea in infants are different from country to country and from culture to culture and this no more true than in Babylon Province.
Aim of the study: 1-To analyze the socio-demographic factors related to the first attack of diarrhea in infants less than 1 year in Babylon Province. 2- To outline the main local beliefs of mothers and caregivers about the possible causes of such an attack.
Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Babylon Province, Iraq. It was carried on 400 infants attending primary health care centers and pediatric clinics for vaccination or for routine follow up, during the period from the first of May 2014 to the first of May 2015.
Results and conclusions: In Babylon Province, the first attack of diarrhea infants tends to occur early in life prior to 6 months of age despite the fact that close to three-quarters of affected infants were in schedule with the Rota Vaccine timetable. A staggering 94% of affected infants were not fed naturally, reflecting the declining rates of natural feeding in the Province. One-third of the study population was born with a weight less than 2500g and over half were born via Caesarean section. Mothers of affected infants tend to be mostly rural, teenaged, and poorly educated.
Downloads
References
2-National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: "What I need to know about Diarrhea, 2014.
3- Murray CJ et al. (2012). GBD 2010a multi-investigator collaboration for epidemiology, Lancet; 380:2055-8.
4- Garcia-Basteiro AL, Bosch A, Sicuri E. et al. (2003-2008)Hospitalizations due to rotavirus gastroenteritis in Catalonia, Spain, BMC Research Notes 2011, 4: 429
5- Wobudeya E, Bachou H, Karamagi C. et al. (2011). Breastfeeding and the risk of rotavirus diarrhea in hospitalized infants in Uganda: a matched case-control study. BMC Pediatrics; 11: 17
6-Fischer TK, Ashley D, Kerin T, Reynolds-Hedmann E, Gentsch J Widdowson MA, et al.(2005) Rotavirus antigenemia in patients with acute gastroenteritis. J Infect Dis;192(5):913–9
7- Bernstein DI. Rotavirus overview.Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2009;28(3Suppl):S50–3
8- Widdowson MA, Bresee JS, Gentsch JR, Glass RI(2005). Rotavirus disease and its prevention. Curr Opin Gastroenterol;21(1): 6–31
9- Center of Disease Control and Prevention CDC, Vaccine Information Statements (VIS), Rotavirus VIS, Current Edition Date: 15/4/2015
10- "Diarrhoeal disease Fact sheet N°330". World Health Organization. April 2013. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
11- "whqlibdoc.who.int" (PDF). World Health Organization.
12- "Effect of breastfeeding on infant and child mortality due to infectious diseases in less developed countries: a pooled analysis. WHO Collaborative Study Team on the Role of Breastfeeding on the Prevention of Infant Mortality". The Lancet 355 (9202): 451–5. Feb 2000. DOI:10.1016/S0140-6736(00)82011-5. PMID 10841125.
13-Sijal Fadhil Farhood, Hadeel Fadhil Farhood (2015).Reasons for Introducing Solid Foods to Infants Younger than Six Months of Age.Journal of Medical Sciences and Clinical Research. JMSCR Volume 3 Issue 3.
14-Shahida Rasheed, Lubna A. Baig, Irfanullah Siddiqui (2006)Decline in Breast Feeding, Who is to be blamed?!! A Study of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Breast Feeding amongst Nurses. Journal of Pakistan Medical Association ). 56(10):430-2.
15-Hurtado E1.(1989) Breastfeeding in the etiology of diarrhea. Arch Latinoam Nutr. Sep; 39 (3):278-91.
16-Sguassero Y. "Optimal duration of exclusive breastfeeding: RHL commentary". WHO. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
17- Curtis V, Cairncross S (May 2003). "Effect of washing hands with soap on diarrhea risk in the community: a systematic review". The Lancet infectious diseases 3 (5): 275–81.
18-Cairncross S, Hunt C, Boisson S, Bostoen K, Curtis V, Fung IC, Schmidt WP (April 2010). "Water, sanitation and hygiene for the prevention of diarrhoea".International Journal of Epidemiology. 39 Suppl 1 (Suppl 1): i193–205.
19- "Diarrheal Diseases in Less Developed Countries". CDC. Retrieved 28 October 2013.
20-Omokhodion FO1, Oyemade A, Sridhar MK, Olaseha IO, Olawuyi JF.(1988) Diarrhoea in children of Nigerian market women: prevalence, knowledge of causes, and management.Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research;241-247.
21- Kaur P1, Singh G.Indian J Public Health. 1994 Apr-Jun; 38(2): 58-61. Food practices during diarrhea.
22- Raj A1, Saggurti N, Winter M, Labonte A, Decker MR, Balaiah D, Silverman JG.BMJ. 2010 Jan 21;340:b4258. The effect of maternal child marriage on morbidity and mortality of children under 5 in India: a cross-sectional study of a nationally representative sample.
23- Nasrullah M1, Zakar R, Zakar MZ, Abbas S, Safdar R, Shaukat M, Krämer.BMC Public Health. 2014 Nov 6;14:1148. Knowledge and attitude towards child marriage practice among women married as a children-a qualitative study in urban slums of Lahore, Pakistan.
24-Jousilahti P1, Madkour SM, Lambrechts T, Sherwin E. Public Health. 1997 Jan;111(1):5-10.Diarrhoeal disease morbidity and home treatment practices in Egypt.
25-Sood AK1, KapilU.Indian J Pediatr. 1990 Jul-Aug;57(4):563-6. Knowledge and practices among rural mothers in Haryana about childhood diarrhea.
26-Owais AI1, Zawaideh F, BatainehOInt J Dent Hyg. 2010 Feb;8(1):28-34. Challenging parents' myths regarding their children's teething.
27-Festini F1, Giusti F, Paoletti E, Biancalani L, Poggi GM. Minerva Pediatr. 2012 Jun;64(3):303-5. Is early use of pacifier a risk factor for diarrhea?
28- Yoder PS1, Hornik RC. (1988) Perceptions of the severity of diarrhea and treatment choice: a comparative study of HealthCom sites. J Diarrhoeal Dis Res. Mar;6(1):15-20.
29- deZoysa I, Feachem RG (1985). "Interventions for the control of diarrhoeal diseases among young children: rotavirus and cholera immunization". Bulletin of the World Health Organization 63 (3): 569–83.
