Diarrhoea and Nutritional Status as Risk Factors of Child Mortality in a Dakar Hospital (Senegal)

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Abstract
Various factors affecting the survival of children were studied on a sample of 571 children under 5 years admitted to the infectious diseases unit of a hospital in Dakar. Results indicate that the nutritonal status at admission is a major determinant of the prognosis. The mortality of children beneath the 80 per cent level of weight/height was 2.64 times greater than the mortality of children above 80 per cent and that of those presenting with oedema 6.21 times greater. Presenting with diarrhoea was also a significant factor in child mortality. The risk of dying for a child admitted with diarrhoea was 1.97 times greater than for children without diarrhoea and 3.73 times greater if the child was dehydrated at the time of admission. Controlling for the nutritional status and for the presence of diarrhoea as well as for all other given factors, one pathological group emerged viz. children affected by meningitis and meningitic syndromes. The season of the year also played an important role and weaning also appeared as a risk factor for children. For policy implications, quick and standardized care of children with diarrhoea and malnutrition seems to be a priority measure in order to lower the high rates of mortality observed.