Major factors in diarrhoea related mortality among rural children.

During a period of 20 months, 1467 children suffered from 1663 diarrhoeal attacks In a rural community of Haryana. As many as 23 diarrhoea related deaths were recorded. Although diarrhoeal attacks/100 children were similar in different nutritional groups (P > 0.05), the case fatality rate (%) was higher in grade III (7.69; P < 0.001) as compared to normal (0.32) and grades I (0.49) and II (2.23) malnutrition. The mortality was higher in protracted diarrhoea (P < 0.001) than when the duration was < 2wk (0.7%). Twenty one (91.3%) of the 23 children who died, had sought treatment from a practising physician (6), hospital (6) or local dispensary. Oral rehydration therapy was used in 38.7 per cent of diarrhoeal episodes. Past malnutrition, protracted diarhoeal illness and non-use of ORT appear to be important associated factors in diarrhoeal mortality in a rural community.