Abstract:
Background: - The global public health problem of diarrhea is most prevalent in developing
countries including Ethiopia, especially among children under two years of age, while it kills
half-million under-five children each year. However, there is limited evidences diarrheal illness
and effect of exclusive breastfeeding on reducing the risk of diarrhea
Objective: - To assess prevalence of diarrheal disease and its associated factor among exclusive
and non-exclusive breast fed children’s in Ankober district, North shoa zone, Amhara region,
Ethiopia 2023.
Methods: - A community-based comparative cross-sectional study design was employed in
Ankober District from May 15 to 30, 2023. A multi-stage sampling technique was employed to
select the study groups. Data was collected using face to face interview with pre-tested structured
questionnaire. The collected data was entered using EpiData version 4.2 and then exported to
using SPSS version 25.0 for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics was used to summarize the
data and the result reported using frequencies, means, and percentages. Bivariable and
Multivariable logestic regression were carried out to identify variables having significantly
associated with diarrheal diseases.
Result: - A total of 448 (mother with 206 from EBF and 206 from NEBF) participants were
interviewed making the response rate 91.9%. The prevalence of diarrheal diseases among
mothers with EBF and non EBF group was 11.2% and 24.8% respectively. The results of this
study indicated that Educational status [AOR = 3.75, 95% CI (1.43, 9.89)], number of under 5
children [AOR = 4.88, 95% CI (1.75, 13.6)], latrine utilization [AOR = 8.09, 95%CI (1.41, were
factors associated with diarrheal diseases.
Conclusion: - The prevalence of diarrhea was slightly higher in mothers with non-EBF children
than in EBF children. Under poor environmental conditions, mothers with primary education and
above protected their children against diarrhea better than mothers with no education in both
study groups. Thus, implementing effective educational programs that emphasize environmental
health and sanitation practices and encouraging female school enrollment would reduce
childhood diarrheal morbidity in the region.
Key word: Diarrhea, Exclusive and non-exclusive breast feed
