UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN FAECES DISPOSAL PRACTICE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AT MIRAB ARMACHIHO DISTRICT, NORTH WEST ETHIOPIA, 2019

Abstract

Abstract Background: Globally, 892 million people worldwide still practiced open defecation. Unhygienic disposal of child faeces has been reported as one of the wide sanitation problems in Sub-Saharan Africa countries. The faeces of under-five children are five times more dangerous than that of adults because of their behaviors. However many people think that faeces of children are harmless. Objective: To assess under-five children faeces disposal practice and associated factors at Mirab-Armachiho district, Northwest Ethiopia, 2019. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Mirab Armachho district from March 10/2019-April 10/2019 by using a multistage cluster sampling method with a total of 873 households giving a response rate of 98.31%. To assure the quality of the tool, a 5% pretest was done outside the study area at Mirab Armachiho. Binary and multivariable logistic regression models were employed to identify factors associated with safe child faeces disposal practices. Variables that have a p-value of <0.2 in the binary logistic regression analysis were entered in the multivariable analysis to control the possible effect of confounders. The adjusted odds ratio with a 95 % confidence interval and a p-value of <0.05 were be estimated to assess the strength of association. The fitness of the model was checked using the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness of fit-test. Result: The prevalence of safe child faeces disposal practice was 37.8% (95% CI: 34.6-40.89). In the final multivariable logistic regression model, the practice of safe disposal of child faeces was significantly associated with the age of the child (AOR=5.07,95%CI:2.52-10.21), educational status of fathers (AOR=2.34,95% CI:1.05-5.25), getting health education (AOR=2.77, 95%CI:1.84-4.16), basic type of latrine (AOR=2.79,95%CI:1.55-5.02), faeces disposal technology options (AOR=2.58,95%CI:1.68-3.96), media exposure (AOR=1.88,95%CI:1.22-2.99), were factors affecting safe child faeces disposal practice. Conclusion: The practice of safe child faeces disposal was low in this study. Therefore interventions designed to improve safe child faeces disposal practices should consider those factors that identified by this study.