Housing Conditions and the Incidence of Diarrhoea Among Children Under 5 Years in Ghana.

Abstract

Globally, diarrhoea infection among children under five years has declined in the past three decades, yet it is still prevalent in developing countries. Almost two-thirds (63%) of diarrhoea incidence among children under 5 occurs in developing countries. Despite improvements made in adequate water provision and sanitation, diarrhoea remains endemic in Ghana, particularly among children under five years. The determinants of diarrhoea are inconclusive and inconsistent specifically with regards to how material made of housing structures can predispose children under five years to diarrhoea. This study therefore aims to contribute to knowledge by assessing the housing conditions and the incidence of diarrhoea among children under five years old in Ghana. This study examined the Ghana Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) 2017-2018. The survey sample was then selected using a multi-stage, stratified cluster sampling approach. The study included 8,241 children under five in Ghana. The factors linked to diarrhoea were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. The prevalence of diarrhoea was 17.1%. In the binary logistic regression model, place for cooking, presence of fixed facility in dwelling for handwashing, the age of a child, maternal education, household wealth quintile, and place of residence were statistically significantly associated with the incidence of diarrhoea among children under five years in Ghana. The study did not find any significant association between source of drinking water, sanitation, housing material and diarrhoea incidence among children under five years in Ghana. The prevalence of diarrhoea remains high among children under five years in Ghana. Place for cooking in household is a strong predictor of diarrhoea infection. This study recommends education should be given to mothers/caregivers to keep their place of cooking safe and clean.