FREQUENCY OF DISEASES PATTERNS IN INTERNALLY DISPLACE CHILDREN DURING FLOOD DISASTERS AT TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL LARKANA

Abstract

Objective:
To determine the frequency of disease patterns in internally displaced children during flood disasters.
Methodology:
Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU) Larkana from July 2022 to March 2023. A total of 507 IDP children, aged 6 months to 15 years, affected by recent floods, were included in the study after taken written informed consent from their parents. All the children were screened for malaria, dengue fever, chikungunya, typhoid fever, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, pneumonia and skin diseases. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Mean ± SD was reported for continuous variables while frequency and percentage were reported for categorical variables.
Results:
The mean age of the participants was noted as 4.085 ± 2.9637 years. Out of 507 children (51.7% male, 48.3% female). The prevalence of malaria was found to be higher in the 0.5–4 years group as compared to 4.1–15 years group (p=0.013,). Similarly, the younger children had higher rates of gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and pneumonia (P ≤ 0.05). However, skin diseases were more common in the age group 4.1–15-year (p=0.0001). The rate of pneumonia was noted as significantly higher in males as compared to females (p=0.025).
Conclusion:
The findings of the current study show that the younger internally displaced children were more susceptible to diarrhea, pneumonia, and gastroenteritis, while skin diseases were more common in older children. The risk of pneumonia was significantly high in younger children. Problems with housing, water, and socioeconomic status may have caused the observed patterns. These findings suggest targeting healthcare for younger children and improving living conditions for displaced populations.
Keywords:
Children's health, Disease patterns, Flood disasters, Internally displaced persons, Waterborne diseases