Effects of Weather on Diarrheal Disease in Peruvian Children: A Geospatial Investigation

Combining information on household characteristics with data from nearby weather stations, I investigate the effect of fluctuations in temperature and rainfall from longer-term averages on the incidence of diarrheal disease among Peruvian children under age 5. Low level variation in temperature and precipitation have little effect except in one case: incidence increases by about 7-12% when low temperatures stay above freezing. This set of circumstances is a concern in the central, mountainous "sierra" region during the dry season. The analysis also affirms previously established findings such as the importance of improved water access and sanitation.