PDF, 1536K - Measure DHS

10.17 PREVALENCE OF DIARRHEA
Diarrhea has been singled out for investigation
for two reasons. As mentioned above, dehydration
from diarrhea is a major cause of death in infancy and
childhood, and the condition can be easily treated by
oral rehydration therapy (ORT). This makes diarrhea
and its management a high priority for health programs.
In interpreting the findings of the Ethiopia
DHS, it should be borne in mind that the prevalence of
diarrhea may be affected by recall bias of the mother as
to when an episode of diarrhea actually occurred and
that the number of diarrhea cases varies seasonally.
Table 10.21 shows the percentage of children
under five with diarrhea in the two weeks preceding
the survey according to selected background characteristics.
Nationally, 24 percent of all children under five
have experienced diarrhea at some time in the two
weeks before the survey. The occurrence of diarrhea
varies by age of the child. Young children age 6-23
months are more prone to diarrhea than children in the
other age groups. There are no variations in diarrhea
prevalence by child’s sex. Episodes of diarrhea are
more common among rural children (25 percent) than
among urban children (17 percent). There are also
some variations in the prevalence of diarrhea by
regions. Children living in the SNNP Region are more
susceptible to episodes of diarrhea (29 percent) than
children living in the other regions. Children living in
Addis Ababa have the lowest prevalence of diarrhea
when compared with children in all the other regions
Table 10.21 Prevalence of diarrhea
Percentage of children under five years with diarrhea in
the two weeks preceding the survey, by background
characteristics, Ethiopia 2000
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Diarrhea in
Background
preceding
characteristic 2 weeks Number
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Child's age