Prevalence and associated factors of acute diarrhea among under-five children living in Hargeisa Internally Displaced Persons, Somaliland: a community-based cross-sectional study.

Introduction: in developing countries, diarrhea is a major cause of child death among those under five years old. Dehydration, malnutrition, delayed physical development and early childhood mortality are the major consequences of diarrheal diseases. In Somaliland, diarrheal diseases have been endemic and a major problem since 1994, with epidemics occurring annually. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and risk factors of acute diarrhea among children under five years old living in Hargeisa Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Somaliland. Methods: a community-based cross-sectional study was conducted among mothers of children under five from August to September 2020 in Hargeisa IDPs. A total of 383 mothers were selected using single population proportional formula. Data was entered, cleaned, and analyzed using SPSS version 22. To explore the association between variables, bivariate logistic regression was performed for each independent variable with the dependent variable. Variables with a p-value of < 0.05 were adjusted in multivariate logistic regression. Finally, variables with a p-value < 0.05 were recognized as determinants of acute diarrheal disease. Results: the prevalence of diarrhea among children under five living in Hargeisa IDPs was 51% (95% CI: 46%-56%). Children older than one year (AOR= 3.59, 95% CI: 2.05-5.20), those not exclusively breastfed (AOR= 4.01, 95% CI: 3.27-4.60), those not given colostrum milk (AOR= 36.41, 95% CI: 25.76-47.90), those drinking water stored in jerry-cans (AOR = 4.90, 95% CI: 1.31-8.39), and those with poor hand washing practices (AOR = 5.74, 95% CI: 1.38-7.82) were more likely to develop diarrhea than their counterparts. Conclusion: this study concludes that the prevalence of diarrhea was very high (51%). Lack of awareness of exclusive breastfeeding and colostrum feeding, storing drinking water in unprotected containers, and poor hand-washing practices were identified as significant predictors for childhood diarrhea (p-value < 0.05).

Prevalence of Stunting and Its Associated Factors Among Children Residing in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps in Hargeisa, Somaliland: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Stunting, a consequence of prolonged malnutrition, remains a critical global health issue affecting 165 million children under the age of five, with 10.6 million associated deaths. Its stunting prevalence is particularly pronounced in developing nations, notably Sub-Saharan Africa. Chronic protein-energy malnutrition, identified as a major cause of morbidity and mortality in displaced settings, underscores the urgency of understanding its impact in such contexts. Objective: This study aimed to assess the prevalence and associated factors of stunting among children aged 12-59 months and residing in IDP camps in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Hargeisa from May 5 to July 30, 2022, utilizing systematic random sampling, online mobile surveys, and caregiver interviews with anthropometric measurements. The SPSS version 25 was utilized in handled data entry, processing and analysis. Multivariable logistic regression, with p < 0.05 significance, included variables from bivariate analysis (p < 0.2). Stunting assessment utilized WHO AnthroPlus software, categorizing HAZ scores < -2.0 SD. Results: The prevalence of stunting among children living in IDP camps was found to be 21.1% [95% CI: 17.0-24.91%]. Vaccination status (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.09-0.38), deworming practice (aOR = 6.5, 95% CI: 2.91-14.52), place of delivery (aOR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.07-0.30), measles experience in the last year (aOR = 0.12, 95% CI: 0.04-0.34), ANC visits (aOR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.14-0.81), and maternal insufficient extra food intake (aOR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.11-4.15) were significantly associated with stunting. Conclusion: The observed stunting prevalence in IDP camps (21.1%) was substantial, highlighting the need for targeted interventions. Future efforts should aim to reduce stunting from the current rate to an estimated 5-10%, emphasizing comprehensive measures such as deworming, maternal nutrition, postnatal care improvement, robust immunization, and promoting healthcare facility deliveries.