Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2001-2002 - Measure DHS

Eastern province has the highest proportion (82 percent) of ARI cases for which treatment wassought from a facility, while Central had the lowest (54 percent). Children age 0-35 months are morelikely to be taken for treatment compared with children age 36-59 months. Children of mothers with secondaryor higher education are more likely to receivetreatment from a health facility (74 percent) thanthose whose mothers have no education (64 percent).9.6 DIARRHOEAL DISEASESDehydration caused by severe diarrhoea is amajor cause of morbidity and mortality among youngchildren in Zambia. Exposure to diarrhoeal-causingagents is frequently related to use of contaminatedwater and unhygienic practices related to foodpreparation, hand-washing, and excreta disposal.In the 2001-2002 ZDHS, mothers were askedwhether any of their children under five years of agehad diarrhoea at any time during the two-week periodprior to the survey. If any child had diarrhoea, themother was asked about feeding practices during thediarrhoeal episode and about what actions were takento treat the diarrhoea.Table 9.16 shows the proportion of childrenunder 5 who had diarrhoea during the two-week periodbefore the survey. Overall, the prevalence of diarrhoeain the two weeks preceding the survey was21 percent. Children age 6-23 months have the highestprevalence of diarrhoea (36-39 percent) followedby those age 24-35 months (22 percent). There are nodifferences in the prevalence of diarrhoea regardingthe child’s sex or residence. Children in North-Westernprovince have a somewhat lower diarrhoea prevalencethan children in other provinces Children ofmothers with more than secondary education have amuch lower prevalence rate for diarrhoeal diseases(6 percent), than children of mothers with no education(24 percent), some primary education (21 percent),or some secondary education (20 percent).Some of this difference may be due to the relativelysmall number of children whose mothers have morethan secondary education. There is little variation inepisodes of diarrhoea by source of drinking water inhouseholds.Use of ORT and ORSTable 9.16 Prevalence of diarrhoeaPercentage of children under five years with diarrhoeain the two weeks preceding the survey, by backgroundcharacteristics, Zambia 2001-2002–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Diarrhoea in the NumberBackground two weeks pre- ofcharacteristic ceding the survey children–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Age in months