Determinants of diarrhea among children under two years old in Indonesia

Introduction: Diarrhea among children under two years old remains a big challenge for the Indonesian government due to its association with fatal cases. Diarrhea can be caused by factors such as socio-demographics, the environment, and behavioral childcare practices. This study aimed to assess the associated factors of diarrheal diseases among children under two years old in Indonesia. Methods: Cross-sectional data was obtained from the 2017 Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS) used for the study. A total of 5858 children, aged 0–23 months and who lived with their mothers, were selected for this study. Binary logistic regression was utilized to examine the determinants of diarrhea. Results: The prevalence of diarrhea among Indonesian children under two years old was 17.16%. The mother's age [AOR = 1.63; 95% CI = 1.28–2.08], the education of the mother [AOR = 1.80; 95% CI = 1.35–2.40], the type of toilet [AOR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.14–1.72], non-exclusively breastfeeding [AOR = 3.30; 95% CI = 2.32–4.69], and feeding from a bottle [AOR = 1.21; 95% CI = 1.02–1.45] were all significantly associated with the occurrence of diarrhea. Conclusions: socio-demographic, environmental, behavioral and childcare practice characteristics are associated with diarrhea among children under two years old in Indonesia. This study highlighted the need for environmental improvement and healthy behavior to reduce the number of diarrhea cases. Increasing the awareness of the mother through counseling and health promotion about the essential benefit of breastfeeding is inevitable. Hygiene practices should be promoted at the household level for those who care for young children.