Climate Change Could Worsen The Dangers Of Pediatric Diarrhea In The Global South
Outside toilet in a shed from a German Dolls House by D H Wagner 1930’s. (Photo by: Universal … [+] History Archive/ Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Universal Images Group via Getty Images
One of the leading causes of child death in South Asia and Africa is preventable diarrhea. In developing countries, a severe lack of access to sanitation infrastructure, clean water, and healthcare facilities makes it all the more challenging to prevent and contain the spread of infectious diseases. According to a recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the increased frequency of droughts and heavy rainfall is linked to an increase in the rates of diarrheal disease among children under the age of 3 years.
“Climate conditions are becoming increasingly more suitable for the transmission of various water- and vector-borne illnesses. At the same time, the increased incidence of extreme weather events attributed to climate change is shown to enhance disease transmission channels, such as the accumulation of pathogens in limited water supplies and contact with contaminated water following floods,” the researchers wrote in their study.
The climate crisis is destabilizing and altering the global water cycle — exacerbating a phenomenon called “dry-becomes-drier, wet-becomes-wetter.” Unseasonal heavy rains during a dry season might result in a sudden and drastic uptick in the concentrations of pathogens entering water sources.
In an effort to further investigate the link between precipitation shocks like droughts and floods and diarrhea in children, the researchers analyzed survey data from an international development group that included 611,154 children under 3 years of age from 51 countries between 2000 to 2019. The children’s families were interviewed to determine when and how they started experiencing diarrhea symptoms.
Anna Dimitrova, a researcher at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and colleagues, then correlated the survey data with climate data. They observed that children in the tropical savanna and humid subtropical zones reported the highest incidence at 18.5% and 18.3%, respectively. The lowest incidence of diarrhea (16.6%) was among children in the humid subtropical zone.
Draughts were associated with an increased risk of diarrhea in tropical savanna regions and in humid subtropical regions, heavy rainfall events were linked to a higher incidence of diarrhea.
The researchers emphasized that certain interventions can go a long way in reducing the risk of diarrheal diseases among children. This includes safely disposing children’s stools, rotavirus vaccinations, hygienic feed practices, and the treatment of water before consumption.
“Our results suggest that interventions should aim at improving education about water treatment methods during heavy precipitation events, particularly among households with access to piped water in the dwelling who may be unaware of the degraded quality of the water,” the researchers noted.
However, the researchers further acknowledge that extreme weather events like floods can repeatedly damage and destroy sanitation facilities and cause sewage overflows. Whereas droughts make it impossible for communities to regularly wash their hands and practise continue with other hygiene practises — thereby increasing children’s risk of contracting diarrhea.
“Among other health risks, childhood undernutrition increases susceptibility to diarrheal diseases and is a major cause of child death. The presented findings highlight the need to reach food insecure households and integrate minimum nutrition standards in food aid programs targeting young children,” the researchers concluded. “Improving knowledge about healthy feeding practices can also be implemented at a low cost in places where such practices are not widely followed.”
