Abstract: Diarrheal disease remains a significant public health challenge and a leading cause of mortality among children under five, contributing to approximately 9% of global child deaths in 2021.In Rwanda, despite the progress, diarrhea is a persistent major public health concern, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality among children under five years old with the prevalence of 12-14% with higher rates in the Western Province .The main objective of this study was to determine prevalence and associated factors of diarrhea among under five children attending Byahi health center, Rubavu district, Western Province, Rwanda. A cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers of 432 children seeking diarrhea management services at Byahi health center. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire while data analysis was conducted by using IBM SPSS software version 25.The prevalence of diarrhea was determined using descriptive statistics while the independent factors associated diarrhea in children under five years old were identified using binary logistic regression analysis and chi square test . Statistical significance was determined using odds ratios (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) and a p-value of ≤0.05. The results revealed that the prevalence of diarrhea in this study was 12.4% (n=52) .The factors that were associated with diarrhea among under five years old children were occupation status of mother as children of non-working mothers had significantly greater odds of experiencing diarrhea than children of mothers with occupation (OR = 8.57; 95% CI: 2.89–25.43; p < 0.001), child’s age where by children between the ages of 6 and 24 months had significantly higher risks of getting diarrhea(OR = 9.10; 95% CI: 3.28–25.22; p < 0.001), the source of drinking water was , children who drink water from a borehole had a greater than 12-fold higher risk of diarrhea than children who use piped tap water (OR = 12.1; 95% CI: 3.56–41.13; p < 0.001), shared latrine use (OR = 4.10; 95% CI: 1.28–20.22; p < 0.004). The current study found that a sizable portion of the children under five who visited Byahi Health Center experienced diarrhea.The results of the study have significant policy implications for health intervention programs and demonstrate the potential value of assisting women in their work to generate cash in order to improve the health and survival of children in the study area and throughout Rwanda. One potential long-term strategy to lower the morbidity from diarrhea is the adoption of efficient health education initiatives that emphasize personal hygiene and eventually lead to complete sanitation.
Keywords: Diarrheal disease, public health, global child deaths, education initiatives, personal hygiene.
Title: DETERMINING PREVALENCE OF DIARRHEA AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG UNDERFIVE CHILDRENATTENDING BYAHI HEALTHCENTRE, RUBAVU DISTRICT, RWANDA
Author: MURORUNKWERE Geraldine, KINARA Eric, KALISA Richard
International Journal of Healthcare Sciences
ISSN 2348-5728 (Online)
Vol. 13, Issue 2, October 2025 - March 2026
Page No: 201-215
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 07-November-2025
