Assessment of the incidence of diarrhea in children under 5 years at the Institute of Child Health, Banzazzau, Zaria

Introduction: This study was carried out to assess the incidence of diarrhoea in children under five years at the catchment community of Institute of Child Health (ICH), Banzazzau, Zaria, affiliated to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital Zaria.Aims: The study aim was to assess the incidence of diarrhoea amongst children under five years at the Institute of child health Banzazzau between January 2013 and December 2014.Settings and Design: The study was a retrospective study of the incidence of diarrhoea amongst children under five years at the Institute.Materials and Methods: The materials used for this survey include medical records, questionnaires, weighing scale and a metre rule. Hospital records of children presented with diarrhoea were reviewed to assess the occurrence of diarrhoea among under five. A total of 2,400 hospital records of children under 5 years over a period of 24 months (January 2013- December 2014) who attended the clinic were reviewed.Statistical Analysis Used: Data was analysed using SPSS, version 20.0 and anthropometric data was analysed using the WHO Anthro Software Package 2011.Results: The socio-demography of children seen in the hospital records showed a preponderance of male children over females that presented with diarrhoea (55.4%) and children within the aged 12-23 months had the most diarrhoeal cases (36.8%).Conclusions: Diarrheal disease assessed in under five years in the study area occurred more in male children who are between the ages of 12 to 23 months.Keywords: Diarrhoea, Children, Under fiv