Household and community variations and nested risk factors for diarrhoea prevalence in southern Malawi: A binary logistic multi-level analysis

作者：Masangwi Salule Joseph^*; Ferguson N S; Grimason A M; Morse T D; Zawdie G; Kazembe L N

来源：International Journal of Environmental Health Research, 2010, 20(2): 141-158.

DOI：10.1080/09603120903403143

• Bayesian estimation
• diarrhoeal prevalence
• multi-level analysis
• Malawi

This paper examines household and community-level influences on diarrhoeal prevalence in southern Malawi. A Bayesian multi-level modelling technique is used in the estimation of hierarchically built data from a survey of individuals nested within households nested within communities. Households have strong unobserved influence on diarrhoeal illness ([image omitted] =4.476; 95% CI: 2.081, 6.871). A joint Wald test of significance shows that an individual's age [[image omitted] ] and school [[image omitted] ] have strong influence on an individual's diarrhoeal prevalence. An individual's history of malarial-like illness also has a strong positive relationship with diarrhoeal prevalence [=0.606, p=0.000]. Household factors that influence diarrhoea include employment status of head of household [= -0.619, p0.021], maternal age [=-0.013, p0.003], and size of household [=-0.669, p=0.000]. The positive relationship between diarrhoea and malaria-like episodes highlights common risk factors hence the need for common approaches to combat the diseases. Significant household effects underline the importance of household considerations in policy issues.

• 出版日期2010