Household factors influencing child mortality levels in Kilifi District, Kenya

Abstract

Child mortality is the probability of a child dying before its fifth birthday. Child mortality in developing countries constitutes the largest age category of and poor environmental conditions. The overall aim of this study was to explore the demographic, environmental and socio-economic economic and health seeking behavioral factors influencing childhood mortality amongst caretakers in Bahari Division, Kilifi District, Coast Province Kenya.

A cross-sectional survey was undertaken between the months of March and June 2009 adopting both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires administered to caretakers of under five children and aged between 18 years to above 49 years. Qualitative data was collected through focus group discussion and key informants interviews data was collected through main outcome measure was identification of the main factors perceived to be influencing childhood mortality at household level in Bahari division of Kilifi District.

Purposive sampling was employed to get study area while cluster sampling was to get study villages and random sampling was used to get study units .The study revealed that the main factors influencing child mortality in Kilifi District were, parity x2 +48, P=0.001, education level x2=9.598, p=0.005 immunization uptake x2=63, p=0.003, locality where child hailed from x2 = 13,p=0.005.caretaker’s occupation mortality in Kilifi District. The casual work and small business preoccupied the caretakers leaving them with very little time to care for their children’s deaths. This calls for focused health education and services targeting the caretakers and the entire community.