Diarrheal prevalence and associated risk factors among under-five children attending Robe Didea General Hospital, Arsi Robe Town, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: Globally, diarrheal disease continues to be the second leading cause of death among under-five children, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of diarrhea and associated risk factors among under-five attending Robe Didea General Hospital (RDGH) in Arsi Robe Town, Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia, from October 1 to December 30 2020. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among under-five children who attended the pediatrics department of RDGH. Systematic random sampling was employed to select the study subjects. An interviewer-administered structured questionnaire was used for data collection and the analysis used SPSS version 21. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to determine the association between risky factors and diarrheal prevalence, and a p value <0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: The prevalence of diarrhea during the 2 weeks preceding the interviews was 28.7%. Mothers/caregivers with formal education [AOR = 0.30; 95% CI (0.17-.053)], unimproved source of drinking water [AOR = 2.11; 95% CI (1.15-3.87)], absence of household-based water treatment [AOR = 4.42; 95% CI (2.20-8.86)], absence of a household latrine [AOR = 4.407; 95% CI (2.49-7.79)], no exclusive breast-feeding for 6 months [AOR = 1.89; 95% CI (1.06-3.38)] and hand wash using water only [AOR = 2.84; 95% CI (1.24-6.49)] were statistically significant risk factors associated with the prevalence of childhood diarrhea after adjusting for confounding variables. Conclusions and Recommendations: A number of environmental and behavioral factors were found to exacerbate diarrheal prevalence among outpatients of RDGH. Promoting female education, washing the hands of mothers/caregivers with soap or detergents, exclusive breast-feeding for at least 6 months, provision of improved water sources and construction of family latrines and home-based water treatment are recommended for the prevention of diarrhea among under-five children.