Childhood morbidity and its determinants: evidence from 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa
Background Although under-five mortality reduced globally from 93 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 39 in 2018, sub-Saharan Africa witnessed an increase from 31% in 1990 to 54% in 2018. Morbidity has been reported to contribute largely to these deaths. This study examined the factors that are associat...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMJ Publishing Group
2020-10-01
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| Series: | BMJ Global Health |
| Online Access: | https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/10/e003109.full |
| _version_ | 1818414911472009216 |
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| author | Sulaimon T Adedokun |
| author_facet | Sulaimon T Adedokun |
| author_sort | Sulaimon T Adedokun |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background Although under-five mortality reduced globally from 93 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 39 in 2018, sub-Saharan Africa witnessed an increase from 31% in 1990 to 54% in 2018. Morbidity has been reported to contribute largely to these deaths. This study examined the factors that are associated with childhood morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods Demographic and Health Surveys of 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were used in this study. The study involved 189 069 children who had or did not have fever, cough or diarrhoea in the 2 weeks preceding the surveys. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were applied in the analysis.Results About 22% of the children suffered from fever, 23% suffered from cough and 16% suffered from diarrhoea. While the odds of experiencing fever increased by 37% and 18%, respectively, for children from poorest and poorer households, children of women aged 15–24 and 25–34 years are 47% and 23%, respectively, more likely to experience diarrhoea. The probability of suffering from morbidity increased for children who are 12–23 months, of higher order birth, small in size at birth and from households with non-improved toilet facility.Conclusions This study has shown that childhood morbidity remains a major health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa with socioeconomic, maternal, child’s and environmental factors playing significant roles. Efforts at addressing this problem should consider these factors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:26:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-362f961b889c4f8c9fc183232de2d544 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2059-7908 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T11:26:37Z |
| publishDate | 2020-10-01 |
| publisher | BMJ Publishing Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMJ Global Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-362f961b889c4f8c9fc183232de2d5442022-12-21T23:03:31ZengBMJ Publishing GroupBMJ Global Health2059-79082020-10-0151010.1136/bmjgh-2020-003109Childhood morbidity and its determinants: evidence from 31 countries in sub-Saharan AfricaSulaimon T Adedokun0Department of Demography and Social Statistics, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun, NigeriaBackground Although under-five mortality reduced globally from 93 per 1000 live births in 1990 to 39 in 2018, sub-Saharan Africa witnessed an increase from 31% in 1990 to 54% in 2018. Morbidity has been reported to contribute largely to these deaths. This study examined the factors that are associated with childhood morbidity in sub-Saharan Africa.Methods Demographic and Health Surveys of 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa were used in this study. The study involved 189 069 children who had or did not have fever, cough or diarrhoea in the 2 weeks preceding the surveys. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were applied in the analysis.Results About 22% of the children suffered from fever, 23% suffered from cough and 16% suffered from diarrhoea. While the odds of experiencing fever increased by 37% and 18%, respectively, for children from poorest and poorer households, children of women aged 15–24 and 25–34 years are 47% and 23%, respectively, more likely to experience diarrhoea. The probability of suffering from morbidity increased for children who are 12–23 months, of higher order birth, small in size at birth and from households with non-improved toilet facility.Conclusions This study has shown that childhood morbidity remains a major health challenge in sub-Saharan Africa with socioeconomic, maternal, child’s and environmental factors playing significant roles. Efforts at addressing this problem should consider these factors.https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/10/e003109.full |
| spellingShingle | Sulaimon T Adedokun Childhood morbidity and its determinants: evidence from 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa BMJ Global Health |
| title | Childhood morbidity and its determinants: evidence from 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full | Childhood morbidity and its determinants: evidence from 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_fullStr | Childhood morbidity and its determinants: evidence from 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Childhood morbidity and its determinants: evidence from 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_short | Childhood morbidity and its determinants: evidence from 31 countries in sub-Saharan Africa |
| title_sort | childhood morbidity and its determinants evidence from 31 countries in sub saharan africa |
| url | https://gh.bmj.com/content/5/10/e003109.full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sulaimontadedokun childhoodmorbidityanditsdeterminantsevidencefrom31countriesinsubsaharanafrica |