ASSESSEMENT OF FACTORS AFFECTING UNDER FIVE MORTALITY: THE CASE OF GONDAR ZURIA WOREDA, AMHARA REGION, NORTH WEST ETHIOPIA.

Abstract

Abstract Background: Infant and child death in developing countries constitute the largest age category of mortality. Sub-Saharan Africa’s under-five mortality rate is 75 percent greater than other regions in the world. With 10% of the world’s population Africa provides 20 percent of the world’s live births and 41 percent of under-five deaths: the Amhara Regional State is one of those areas in Ethiopia with highest U5 mortality (154 per 1000 live births) which is greater than the national average 123 per 1000 live birth. Therefore; this paper has tried to identify the determinant factors that affect under five mortality in the study area. Objective: Assessment of the magnitude and determinant factors of under five mortality in Gondar Zuria Woreda. Method: A community based cross- sectional quantitative study was conducted from April to June 2011 Results: A total of 810 households (97.6%) participated in the study. The total number of children born in the previous 5 years among these households was 1290, consisted of 667 males (51.7%) and 623(48.3%) females of under five children. The total number of deaths in these study subjects was 167(12.95%). Main causes of deaths affecting these children were malaria 48(28.74%), diarrhea 45(26.94%), respiratory infections 22(13.17%), pneumonia 18(10.78%) and others 34(20.36%) were due to HIV/AIDS, TB, car and fire accidents etc. From the total deaths (167), the highest numbers, 78(16.16%) out of 469 were reported from the children between 0-1 year and the rest 89(11%) out of 821 were greater than one year. In this study, mother’s education was found to be an independent factor associated with under five mortality. Children born to mothers who were illiterate were 6.16 times more likely to have under five death compared to mothers whose educational status was secondary and above [AOR: 6.16, 95% CI (2.21, 17.19)]. Conclusion and recommendation: Compared to Ethiopian demographic health survey 2005, under five mortality has shown a slight decrement in vi the study area, but increased compared to 2011 EDHS(88 per 1000 live births). Promoting the health education of mothers on low-cost health measures like birth-spacing, breastfeeding, child immunization, safe weaning, proper feeding during and after a child's illness, oral rehydration therapy, and domestic hygiene are important to save the lives of many children.