Factors related to behavior of mothers in child care influencing on diarrhea among children aged under 2 years in Myanmar

Abstract

Diarrhea among children aged under 2 years remains a huge challenge for Myanmar because it is the fourth leading cause of death among children aged under 5 years. This study aimed to find the association between maternal behavior in childcare and diarrhea among children aged under 2 years in Myanmar. Cross-sectional data was obtained from the 2015 Myanmar Demographic and Health Survey used for the study. A total of 1655 children, aged 0–23 months and who are the youngest and lived with their mothers, were selected for this study. The prevalence of diarrhea among Myanmar children under two years old was 13.6%. The child’s age [AOR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.5–3.1], early initiated breastfeeding [AOR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.02–1.8], exclusive breastfeeding [AOR = 3.1; 95%CI = 1.4–6.8] were all significantly associated with diarrhea among children aged under 2 years in Myanmar. Dissemination of health education about breastfeeding behavior to mothers and related factors can reduce the prevalence of diarrhea among children aged under 2 years in Myanmar.