Prevalence of Diarrhoeal Diseases among Under-Five Paediatric Patients in a Tertiary Health Care Facility, South Eastern Nigeria: A 5-Year Review

Background: Diarrhoeal disease remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children, especially in developing countries. Although Nigeria has already achieved remarkable progress in reducing under-five mortality in the last decades, studies done in different parts of Nigeria had shown that diarrhoea is still a major public health problem.

Objectives: This study aimed at determining the prevalence of diarrhoea in under-five children who presented to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital Neni through the period of January 2016 - December 2020, a 5-year review. It is also aimed at noting the influence of other socio demographic factors such as age, sex and seasonal variation on the occurrence of diarrhoeal diseases.

Methods: A retrospective study design was used as patients’ records were obtained from the medical records for the said duration of study and a pro forma was used in extracting needed information.

Results: A total of 128 cases of diarrhoeal disease were recorded out of the 897 under-five aged children that visited the hospital at the said period of study. Thus with a prevalence of 14.27%. Higher number of cases were recorded in the dry season 96 (75.0%) than the wet season; 32 (25.0%) cases. More males were affected; 78(60.1%) than females;50 (39.1%). Children aged 0-11 months were affected more; 62 (48.4%) followed by those within the age bracket of 12-23 months 32(25.0%) with those within the ages 48-59months having the least number of cases; 8 (6.3%).

Conclusions: From the study it was concluded that diarrhoea occurs more in the dry season in this region than in the wet season. It was also concluded that the general risk of diarrhoeal disease decreases with increasing age in children and toddlers are the most at risk group of suffering the disease.