Understanding the Impact of Open Defaecation on Child Diarrhoea and Nutrition Indicators

Abstract

There are various individual factors that impact child diarrhoea-related behaviours among primary care seekers. Behavioural factors, social norms, economic considerations, access to healthcare, gender, etc., are some of the factors that can impact the treatment-seeking behaviour of the parents for their children who are suffering from diarrhoea. This article also establishes the relationship between open defaecation as a social behaviour and the incidence of child diarrhoea. Other than this, the relationship between open defaecation and child nutritional indicators is also established through substantive evidence. Open defaecation is known to have significant health impact, especially on children. Children from ODF distrcits are also significantly less wasted and under weighing than children from Non-ODF districts. However, the open defaecation free (ODF) status showed no significant impact on stunting in the current study.