Socio-economic determinants of diarrhoeal morbidity among children in Tanzania.

This study uses the 2009-2010 and 2015-2016 Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) to determine the socio-economic factors of diarrhoea morbidity among the sampled children. This sample is restricted to children under five years of age (0-4) years and the Tanzania Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS) has identified 13,376 children in this age group. A logit model was used to estimate and analyze factors influencing the probability of occurrence of diarrhoea. Results from the t-test mean comparison showed that there is a significant difference between urban dwellers and rural dwellers in socioeconomic determinants. As well the study found a significant difference between male household headed and female household headed. Child’s age was negatively associated with diarrhoea morbidity. The study found that parents education level had a negative significant relationship with diarrhoea morbidity. Sex of household head was significant in both years as well as a place of residence. Surprisingly the study found age at first birth to be significant only in one dataset. The study also revealed that in preventing and reducing the incidence of diarrohea among children, sanitation facilities was found to be of importance than the supply of drinking water. The study suggests that parents must be given health education so that they are familiarized with the simply prepared treatment, Nimkol, and have knowledge about hygiene, and especially of preparing supplementary foods for children. Promotion of both breastfeeding, and of personal hygiene, while preparing the supplementary foods for these children, seems to be the right way to control diarrhoeal.