Investigating the Spatial Patterns of Common Childhood Morbidity in Six Neighboring West African Countries

Children in developing countries have continued to suffer morbidity and mortality arising from a few illnesses. This study was designed to examine the within and between spatial variations in childhood morbidity from cough, fever, and diarrhea among six West African countries in a manner that transcends geographical boundaries. Data from six countries including their geographical boundaries were obtained from Demographic and Health Surveys. The spatial modelling was through Bayesian models and appropriate prior distributions were assigned to the different parameters of the model. Parameter estimation was through integrated nested Laplace approximation. Results show similar significant spatial distributions for the three illnesses, and they demonstrate that children in Benin Republic and Mali are less likely to suffer from these illnesses, whereas higher likelihood were obtained in the case of Cote d'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Togo, and some parts of Ghana. The nonlinear effects of child's age show that the risks of contracting the illnesses peak among children aged 10-14 months while, as the mothers advance in age, their children have reduced risks. Breastfeeding and a woman's working status and education are among the significant factors that either aggravate or prevent these illnesses in the West African countries. The results pinpointed regions of the West African countries with high and low risks of the illnesses, and this would enhance intervention strategies of policy makers and international donors in the subregion.