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Global Health Econ Sustain Prevalence and risk factors of childhood diarrhea

living in such households are able to protect themselves Acknowledgments
from diarrheal diseases. The geographical region of people
also determines the prevalence of the diarrheal disease. The None.
children from the eastern and western divisions of India Funding
were more likely to experience this disease as compared to
the central part of India. The anticipated possible causes None.
could be lower access to better households and specific Conflict of interest
environmental and climatic issues, which should be the
best for surviving children, creating resilience to diarrhea The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
among children under the age of five.
Author contributions
5. Conclusion
Conceptualization: Priya Das
This study has identified several notable reasons for an Formal analysis: Priya Das
individual’s socioeconomic background and individual- Investigation: Tanu Das, Subhadeep Saha
level characteristics. Our findings suggested that addressing Methodology: Priya Das
diarrhea cases among children under the age of five Writing – original draft: Subhadeep Saha
requires necessary interventions. These interventions Writing – review & editing: Priya Das, Subhadeep Saha,
should focus on modifying various household and Tanu Das, Partha Das
environmental factors, as well as educating mothers and
potentially reducing birth order numbers. It is crucial to Ethics approval and consent to participate
implement these interventions comprehensively, ensuring The ethical approval of the NFHS-5 (2019 – 2021) was
that the main caretaker of the child is well-informed about obtained from the Ethics Review Board of the IIPS,
appropriate childcare practices during this period. Since Mumbai, and the ICF, Disability and Health Institutional
this is a hygiene-related disease, it is important for people Review Board. The study confirmed that all methods were
to have access to fresh and clean drinking water facilities performed in accordance with the relevant guidelines and
and to maintain proper hygiene in their immediate regulations. For participation in this survey, informed
physical environment. The appeal to enhance awareness written and verbal consent was obtained from the
among parents, particularly mothers, should be prioritized. participants at the time of the survey. Each participant’s
The Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), also known as the approval was sought, and after that, the interview was
Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or the Clean India Mission, is a conducted. The study involved a secondary analysis of
countrywide campaign introduced by the Government of publicly available data. Thus, independent ethical approval
India in 2014 to eradicate the practice of open defecation was not needed. However, the corresponding author
and improve solid waste management nationwide, with the received permission from www.dhsprogram.com to use
ultimate goal of making the country open defecation-free. the data for analysis.
In addition, the Defeat Diarrhea (D-2) Initiative, a part of
the POSHAN Abhiyan, was launched by the Ministry of Consent for publication
Health and Family Welfare with a target to lower diarrhea-
related deaths among children under the age of five to less Written informed consent for publication of their details
than one per thousand live births by 2024. It focuses on was obtained from the study participant.
raising awareness about diarrheal disease and increasing Availability of data
access to solutions for this disease. The Intensified Diarrhea
Control Fortnight, introduced by the National Health Data has been collected from the demography and health
Mission, involves health workers visiting households with survey portal that provides data in the areas of population,
children under the age of five to conduct community-level health, and nutrition, which are publicly available and
awareness activities aimed at preventing and controlling anyone can access with a prior request and subject to non-
childhood diarrhea. Globally, initiatives such as the A7-point profit and academic interest only. The following data link
plan introduced by UNICEF/WHO aim to prevent and treat has been used to extract the data: http://dhsprogram.com/
childhood diarrhea by provisioning improved water supply, data/dataset/admin/login main.cfm
promoting community-wide sanitation, maintaining good
hygiene, providing proper immunization, and implementing References
other necessary requirements to reduce the prevalence of Agegnehu, M.D., Bewket Zeleke, L., Goshu, Y.A., Ortibo, Y.L., &
this disease. Mehretie Adinew, Y. (2019). Diarrhea prevention practice

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2024) 11 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2048