AN EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY OF DIARRHOEA IN UNDER FIVE CHILDREN (0-59 MONTH) IN RURALAREA OF MEERUT, U.P.
Acute diarrheal illness remains one of the major causes of childhood morbidity and mortality especially among children under ve years in developing countries. The diarrhoeal disease are more problematic in the rural areas due to poor sanitation and hygiene. So, the study was conducted in under ve children in the rural area with objectives of nding out the fortnightly incidence of diarrhea and to study associated sociodemographic factors and the management practices in the community. The present cross-sectional study was conducted among under ve children in rural area of Meerut. 423 children were studied selected randomly from 2 randomly selected villages of the block. The fortnightly incidence of diarrhoea was found to be 14.2%. Average duration of diarrhoea was 1-3 days. Higher fortnightly incidence of diarrhoea was found in age group 0-12 month, where sibling order was 5 or more, Muslims, OBC, where mother was illiterate, lower socio-economic class, and where housing and environmental conditions were poor with signicant association with sibling order. Among the management practices, maximum number of children were given normal uid during the diarrhea episode and maximum children took treatment from Local healthcare worker or Health clinic.