Mortality and Case Fatality Rate of Diarrhea Disease among Children under Five Years in Jalingo Lga of Taraba State

Abstract

Diarrhoeal disease remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children younger than five years, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. This study assessed mortality and the case fatality rate associated with diarrhoeal disease among children younger than five years in Jalingo Local Government Area, Taraba State, Nigeria, using Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) data collected between 2020 and 2024. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests at a 5% level of significance. A total of 1,050 diarrhoeal cases and 36 deaths were reported during the study period. Children aged 12–59 months accounted for the highest proportion of cases (400, 38.1%), whereas the highest age-specific case fatality rate was recorded among children aged 1–11 months (4.5%). Males constituted 596 (56.8%) of the reported cases, although case fatality was similar among males (3.4%) and females (3.5%). The highest annual burden occurred in 2021 (295, 28.3%), whereas 2022 recorded the fewest cases (150, 14.3%). Seasonal analysis showed that the fourth quarter accounted for the greatest proportion of cases (332, 31.6%) and the highest case fatality rate (4.5%). Significant associations were observed between mortality/case fatality and age (χ² = 9.45), year of reporting (χ² = 6.45), and season (χ² = 4.1), whereas gender showed no significant association (χ² = 0.14, p = 0.78). The findings indicate a continued burden of childhood diarrhoea in Jalingo LGA and support the need for strengthened seasonal surveillance, timely case management, improved sanitation, safe water supplies, and targeted interventions for vulnerable age groups.