UTILIZATION OF ZINC TABLET AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS AMONG UNDER-FIVE CHILDREN HAVING ACUTE DIARRHEA IN KEBRI-DEHAR TOWN, SOMALI REGION, ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Background: Zinc with oral rehydration solution was recommended for the management of child with acute diarrhea. Zinc can resist subsequent episodes of diarrhea for up to 2 - 3 months and decrease 23% mortality due to diarrhea. There for zinc is one strategy to decrease child mortality in developing countries such as Ethiopia. However, there is limited evidence regarding utilization of zinc in the eastern part of Ethiopia especially in Somali Region. Objective: To assess utilization of zinc tablet and associated factors among under- five year children with acute diarrhea in Kebri-Dehar town, Somali Region, Ethiopia from February 12 – March-12/2017. Method: Quantitative Community based cross-sectional study design supplemented by qualitative was applied. Simple random technique for the quantitative and purposive sampling for the qualitative was applied. Sample size of 376 randomly selected caregiver for under-five children who have acute diarrhea were selected and for the quantitative study 4 health professionals were involved. The quantitative data was collected by face-to-face interviewer administered questionnaire by 10 data collectors and qualitative data were collected using indepth interview and observation by the principal investigator. The collected data was entered into Epi Data 3.1 and then exported and analyzed using SPSS 20.Information was presented by using frequencies, pei-chart, summary measures and tables. Result: 374(99.4%) mothers/children pairs were participated in the study.The magnitued of zinc utilization were found to be 29.1% (95% CI, 24.49%-33.71%). It was less utilized by mothers who were having no formal education [(AOR=0.181, 95% CI: (.056, .591)], child age 6-11 months [(AOR=0.130, 95% CI: (.025, .683)], mothers withhold food and fliud during acute diarrhea [(AOR=.185, 95%: (.068, .502)], no formal education husband [(AOR=0.050, 95% CI: (.020, .128)] and primary education of husband [(AOR=0.138, 95% CI: (.059, .320)]. Also inappropriate prescription and knowledge gap on zinc tablet were the reason for low utilization of the treatment. Concultion and recommendation: more than one out of fourth children utilized zinc tablet. Therefore, health worker should advice and instruct to the mothers/caregiver, advertising of zinc tablet and training might be needed for the health professionals.