Individual and community-level factors associated with under-five diarrhea in Bangladesh: Evidence from Demographic and Health Survey 2014

Abstract Objective Diarrheal disease is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among children under five years in Bangladesh. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of diarrhea among children under five years and its associated risk factors. Methods Data was sourced from the Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS), a nationally representative study conducted in 2014. We used multilevel logistic regression models to identify factors associated with diarrheal disease. Results Children aged 6–11 months (OR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.50 to 3.42), and 12–23 months (OR: 2.31; 95% CI: 1.62 to 3.31) were more likely to have diarrhoea than older children. Other significant risk factors for diarrheal infection included households without access to drinking water (OR: 1.39; 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.88) and mothers lacking mass media access (OR: 1.32; 55% CI: 1.01 to 1.73). Conclusions Childhood diarrhoea in Bangladesh was associated with individual and community-level factors. Government and non-government organizations should focus on diarrhea prevention programs such as safe water supply and sanitation, personal hygiene including hand washing, and improved education and access to mass media for mothers of childbearing age.