The Causes and Effect of Diarrhea Among Children in Benin City
CHAPTER ONE
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objective of this study is classified into general objective and specific objectives.
General objective
The general objective of the study is to determine the factors associated with diarrhea among children in Benin City.
Specific objectives
- To determine the causes and effect of diarrhea among children.
- To examine the relationship between maternal perceptions and maternal preventive behaviors regarding acute diarrhea in children.
- To explore the association of the child socio-demographic, health care factors with diarrhea with children in Benin City
- To explore the association between mothers hand washing habits and defecations behaviours and health service utilization factors with diarrhea among children in Benin City.
- To explore the association between drinking water, sanitation and house characteristics factors and diarrhea among children in Benin City.
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
This chapter deals with review of related literature from other scholars and it will be discussed under the following subheading;
- Diarrhea Pathophysiology
- Non-Inflammatory Diarrhea
- Inflammatory Diarrhea
- Diarrhea in Humans and Neonatal Calves
- Global Impact of Diarrhea
- Defining Pediatric Diarrhea
- Etiology
- Prevention and Treatment
- Metabolic Acidosis
- Metabolic Acidosis and Anion Gap in Diarrhea
- Summary of literature review
DIARRHEA PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
The gastrointestinal tract has a great capacity to handle large volumes of fluid. In humans, approximately seven to ten litres of fluid (oral fluids, saliva, small intestine secretions and gastric, bile and pancreatic juices) enters the gastrointestinal tract every 24 hours with very little loss, approximately 1%, in the feces (Johnson, 2007). The gastrointestinal tract maintains homeostasis by regulating the absorption and secretion of both fluids and electrolytes (Johnson, 2007). This regulation of fluid is critical to ensure normal gastrointestinal function including nutrient digestion and absorption (Barrett, 20006; Acra & Ghishan, 1996). When there is a disturbance to the balance between intestinal absorption and secretion processes, diarrhea occurs. Diarrhea can result from various mechanisms and/or a combination of mechanisms including increased intestinal secretion of fluid and electrolytes; decreased absorption of fluid, electrolytes and nutrients; and/or motility disturbances (Thapar & Sanderson, 2004; Colbère-Garapin et al., 2007; Guandalini, 2005; Acra & Ghishan, 1996; Casburn-Jones & Farthing, 2004).
Clinically, diarrhea can be classified as acute or chronic. Acute diarrhea has a sudden onset, generally resolves within fourteen days, and is usually due to an infectious agent. Chronic diarrhea has been defined as loose stools, with or without an increase in frequency, which lasts more than four weeks. Many causes of chronic diarrhea exist and include inflammatory bowel disease, malabsorptive syndrome, and chronic infections (American Gastroenterological Association [AGA], 1999; Fine & Schiller, 1999). In addition to the duration of the diarrheal episode, fecal characteristics help guide the treatment and management of diarrhea and is classified as non-inflammatory or inflammatory (Baldi, Bianco, Nardone, Pilotto, & Zamparo, 2009).
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This research study is designed to look into the causes and effect of diarrhea among children in Benin City, Edo State.
POPULATION STUDIED
This research was carried out in Benin City of Edo State, for effective and comprehensive result, the researcher selected some public places like school, motor parks, and even markets, comprising both boys and girls. The researcher also explained the items on the questionnaires for the purpose of those who had problem with answering them. The questionnaire was administered by the researcher to the selected places.
SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUES
In choosing the sample for the study, the random sampling method was adopted in the belief that the causes and effect of diarrhea among children in Benin City will be controlled. In the selected area, respondents will be required to tick the appropriate response that pertains to them. The researcher made use of secondary school students from SSS 1-3, motor parks comprising men and women etc.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
The questionnaire is the instrument used in the research work. The researcher employed the questionnaire method of data collection in the study. The questionnaire contains information on the question to be answered by respondents. The questionnaires were about 150 copies and contain about 20 questions for the respondents to answer. A respondent was expected to mark that which is his/her own opinion most appropriate for each of the statement in the questionnaire they were structured to elicit only respondents to a particular statement. Responses to each item were made either strongly agreed, agreed, undecided and disagreed so as to make it easier for the respondents to follow.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
This chapter attempted to analysis and interpret the data collected as regard to causes and effect of diarrhea among children in Benin City. The research questions stipulated also in chapter one of the project which have been grouped into seven (7).
Research Question One: Does poor toilet facilities causes diarrhea infection in children?
From the table above it can be seen that 100 respondents which represent 66.7% of the total respondents said that poor toilet facilities causes diarrhea infection among children, while 50 respondents which represent 33.3% said no that poor toilet facilities cannot cause diarrhea among children in Benin City.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
This finding of the study, causes and effect of this cholera during rainy season in Benin City can help programmes planners in Nigeria, Benin City to be presides towards preventive, strategies to eradicate cholera outbreak in this City (Benin).
In the light of this research, the researcher tried to find how the problems listed in chapter one (research questions) can result in cholera outbreak and the consequences involves when contacted with this disease cholera. A questionnaire was designed and administered to respondents like students, teachers, civil servant, youths, drivers etc from different field level of life. The result from the study revealed that when environment is not properly kept clean, it leads to cholera outbreak, when toilet is poorly kept if leads to cholera outbreak, when drinking and bathing water is been contaminated with germs it leads to cholera outbreak etc.
From the finding of this data, it was analyzed and observed that humans/persons need to be clean in other not to be infected with this disease known as cholera.
CONCLUSION
Given that high diarrheal morbidity is likely to persist for some time in many parts of the developing world, this study suggests that specifically addressing the problem of anorexia is worthwhile. Current WHO guidelines for feeding children
during diarrheal illness recommend continued feeding in small amounts as well as additional feeding after the episode has concluded to allow for catch up growth.
From the finding of this research, it was structured out that diarrhea is a severe water borne infectious disease caused by viruses, bacteria parasite, and also, diarrhea is accompanied with a severe dehydration and loss of electrolyte. In absence of appropriate treatment of this disease, there is a high mortality rate. It was also observed that diarrhea is responsible for an estimated average of 1119 children infected with diarrhea which are admitted in the hospital annually. In other to set free from this deadly disease it was observed that the government should swing into action by providing various measures in other to prevent diarrhea infection among children in Benin City and Nigeria at large.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Diarrhea is a very serious disease in the growing development of Benin City and Nigeria in general. In view of the identified problems, it is therefore recommended that;
- Cleaning out environment, washing our hands before eating, and washing our toilet with medicated soap will help to put an end to this disease (diarrhea).
- Water sold in the street by water vendors which is associated with illness should be checked regularly by ministry of health bodies.
- Urban water agencies should undertake a search and emergency chlorine disinfection of all open well and other water points used for drinking.
- The ministry of education with funding from UNICEF should sponsor a series of teacher seminars with the help of local health personnel for all primary, secondary and tertiary even public open seminars on Diarrhea control activities.
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