Burden and pattern of acute diarrhea in Thai children under 5 years of age: a 5-year descriptive

Charoenwat et al. BMC Public Health (2022) 22:1161

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-022-13598-8

RESEARCH

Burden and pattern of acute diarrhea

in Thai children under 5 years of age: a 5-year

descriptive analysis based on Thailand National

Health Coverage (NHC) data

Busara Charoenwat1* , Kunanya Suwannaying1 , Watuhatai Paibool1 , Napat Laoaroon1 ,

Sumitr Sutra1 and Kaewjai Thepsuthammarat2

Abstract

Background: The incidence of acute diarrhea in Thai children under fve years of age has increased over the last

three decades. Even though mortality has signifcantly declined, the burden and cost of medical treatment are still

high. Our objectives are to describe the burden and pattern of acute diarrhea cases that required admissions by Thai

children under fve years of age from 2015 to 2019.

Methods: Data regarding the admission of acute diarrhea cases of Thai children with Thailand National Health Cover￾age (NHC) under fve years of age from 2015 to 2019, recorded as International Statistical Classifcation of Diseases

and Related Health Problems, tenth Revision, Thai Modifcation (ICD-10-TM), were analyzed.

Results: The incidence trend of yearly acute diarrhea in children 0–5 years of age slightly increased from 33.36 cases

per 1,000 population in 2010 to an average of 33.79 cases per 1,000 population/ year from 2015 to 2019 or approxi￾mately 0.43 cases per 1,000 population over the last decade while diarrhea-related mortality had a low, constant rate

of 0.71 to 1.16 per 100,000 population per year. Two thirds of the mortality rate was observed in children under 1 year

of age or 4.1 cases per 100,000 person-years in 5-year period (P<0.01). The high cost of performing the medical treat￾ment of approximately four hundred million baht per year. Seasonal variations demonstrated consistency with similar

patterns during the cold and rainy seasons throughout the 5-year period. Regional distribution of the causative agent

was also observed in Cholera, Typhoid, and Amoebiasis cases. A08: viral and other specifed intestinal infections and

A09: other gastroenteritis and colitis of infectious and unspecifed origin were the two most common causes of diar￾rheal diseases.

Conclusions: The incidence rate of acute diarrhea in Thai children under fve years of age was higher while the mor￾tality rate of acute diarrhea was lower than those in the past decade. A similar seasonal outbreak of acute diarrhea was

seen during each examined year. The causative agent was not signifcant and was mainly unspecifc.

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Open Access

*Correspondence: [email protected]

1

Department of Pediatrics, Srinagarind Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Khon

Kaen University, 123 Mitrapap road, Muang Khon Kaen, Khon Kaen 40002,

Thailand

Full list of author information is available at the end of the article