A study of risk factors and some facts about gastroenteritis in children

Abstract EN

Objective: The aim of this study is to identify some risk factors and facts related to gastroenteritis in Mosul city of Iraq, and to design preventive measures that can decrease these factors as much as possible.

Methods: This case-series study was performed over 8 months (from 1st April till 30th November of 2013) in three Pediatric Hospitals of Mosul.

A prospective study was done on 214 infants and children below 5 years of age with diarrhea by questionnaire.

History and physical examination were made and the following information have been addressed: patient’s age, sex, type of diarrhea, therapy before admission, type of feeding, type of drinking water, associated illnesses, residence, family background, socioeconomic status, mother education, presence of animals in house, and signs of infant/child neglect as well as the weight and height to assess the nutritional status of the child.

Results: The study shows an association between diarrhea and male gender (62.6%), infants <1 year old (60.7%), bottle feeding (whether alone or mixed) (91.2% in infants <4 months and 65.6% in infants >4 months), drinking of tap water (without boiling, especially for infants) (73.4%), inside city residence (67.3%), rural background (even if the family reside in the city) (80%), illiterate and low educated mother (84%), signs of infant/child neglect (75.7%) and malnutrition (65.3% for all degrees).

Conclusions: The results show that there is an association between diarrhea and the following variables; male gender, infants <1 year of age, bottle feeding (whether alone or mixed), drinking of tap water (without boiling, especially for infants), inside city residence, rural background (even if the family reside inside city), illiterate or low educated mother, signs of baby neglect, and malnutrition.

These results are similar to those studies done in several developing countries.