Diarrhoea and ARI Risk Exposure Among Under-Five Children in Odisha, India: An evidence from NFHS-4 (original) (raw)

Background Acute Respiratory Infections (ARI) and diarrhea are the major leading causes of death among children aged 5 globally [1,2]. The scenario is not very improved in India. The estimated diarrhea-related death for children aged 0-6 years was 9.1% and the prevalence of diarrhea illness for Odisha was 9.8% which is higher than the national average [3]. In 2010, nearly 265,000 in-hospital deaths of young children were attributed to ARI globally, out of which 99% were reported from the developing countries [4]. Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) is a serious infection that prevents normal breathing function. It usually begins as a viral infection in the nose, trachea (windpipe), or lungs. If the infection is not treated, it can spread to the entire respiratory system. Acute respiratory infection prevents the body from getting oxygen and can result in death. The major symptoms of ARIs are cough accompanied by short, rapid breathing that is chest-related, and/or difficulty in breathing. The prevalence of ARI in Odisha is 2.4% [3]. Higher prevalence of diarrhea and acute respiratory infection among the children under age 5 are the major factors behind the slow decline in under 5 mortalities [5,6]. Various studies show that diarrhea is the major leading causes of death among children in India. Study by Kamath et. al. show that among major states in India, Uttar Pradesh and Assam have higher prevalence of diarrhea deaths than rest of the states in India [7]. Most studies have focused that mother's education, age of the child, place of residence, wealth status of the family, improved toilet facility, and drinking water facility are the major causes of diarrhea and ARIs among children [4,7-9]. Diarrhea and ARI has been a crucial health concern in India, especially among