Loading...
Risk factors of diarrhoea among under-five children in Zimbabwe: A systematic review
Garatsa, C. Kostrzynska, E.B. Nwankwo, B. Hagan, V.M.
Garatsa, C.
Kostrzynska, E.B.
Nwankwo, B.
Hagan, V.M.
Publication Date
2023-07
End of Embargo
Supervisor
Rights
© The Authors. This is an Open Access article distributed under the Creative Commons CC-BY license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Peer-Reviewed
Yes
Open Access status
openAccess
Accepted for publication
2023-07
Institution
Department
Awarded
Embargo end date
Collections
Additional title
Abstract
Children are at a higher risk of succumbing to diarrhoea. Zimbabwe remains one of the countries topping in terms of morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoea diseases among under-fives. This study aims to determine factors affecting diarrhoea among under-five children in Zimbabwe.
Methodology: A systematic review was executed based on searches from six databases. All types of studies published between 2018 and 2022 in English about diarrhoea disease and among children under the age of five in Zimbabwe were included. Seventeen articles met the requirements of this study. All the data was inputted onto a data extraction sheet and thematic analysis was carried out on the study outcomes to identify themes.
Results: Diarrhoea risk factors can be categorized into two main themes; modifiable and non-modifiable diarrhoea risk factors. Under the modifiable risk factors are four subthemes: environmental, socio-economic, behavioural, and modifiable biological diarrhoea risk factors. Under the non-modifiable risk factors are two sub-themes: age and gender. For any Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) intervention to succeed, these risk factors should be present at optimum. If any of the factors is not optimally present, WASH interventions must concurrently address the risk factor or else the intervention is predestined to fail.
Conclusion: WASH remains an important issue in Zimbabwe as a tool to improve the lives of children under five years old. There is a necessity to investigate why certain interventions work well in other low-income countries and not Zimbabwe. All WASH interventions must make a thorough baseline assessment of conditions present on the ground to ensure the success of interventions.
Version
Published version
Citation
Garatsa C, Mohammadnezhad M, Kostrzynska EB et al (2023) Risk factors of diarrhoea among under-five children in Zimbabwe: A systematic review. American Journal of Biomedical Science & Research. 19(3): 334-344.
Link to publisher’s version
Link to Version of Record
Type
Article