article · East African Journal of Health and Science
Diarrhoeal diseases remain a major public health concern globally, particularly for children under five years old. A scoping review synthesised evidence from twenty-nine studies published between 2010 and 2024 to evaluate the impacts of climate change on paediatric diarrhoea. The review identified a strong positive correlation between changing weather patterns and disease incidence. In sixty-nine percent of the reviewed literature, maximum temperatures and extreme rainfall were significantly linked to rises in under-five diarrhoea cases. Furthermore, thirty-one percent of the publications linked seasonal shifts and extreme events, such as heat waves, droughts, and flooding, to increased diarrhoea episodes. Across the regions analysed, the reported incidence of diarrhoea in children under five varied broadly between 0.19 percent and 74.2 percent.
Climate change poses direct risks to childhood health by amplifying the environmental conditions that drive infectious diseases. Understanding how shifts in temperature and severe weather patterns influence diarrhoea outbreaks helps public health authorities anticipate disease spikes, deploy targeted resources, and plan protective interventions to safeguard vulnerable young populations from worsening climatic disruptions.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway, as it is an early-stage evidence synthesis focused on describing climatic correlations and highlighting public health needs rather than presenting a product, service, or commercial intervention.
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Background/ objective: Diarrhoea diseases continue to pose a serious threat to worldwide public health, especially among under-five children. This review paper aims to pool together the accessible evidence regarding the impacts of climate change on diarrhoea disease among under-five children. Methods: This review paper utilises PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science to collect data from original articles published globally between 2010 and 2024. Initially, 150 articles were downloaded, and after screening using Rayyan software, 29 articles were selected based on eligibility criteria. The study follows the PRISMA statement as its protocol and conducts qualitative data analysis. Results: Maximum temperature and extreme rainfall were significantly associated with increased incidences of diarrhoea among those under five in 69% of the articles reviewed. Meanwhile, 31% of the publications also addressed the effects of seasonal changes and extreme events such as heat waves, droughts, and flooding on diarrhoea episodes in this age group. The reported incidence of diarrhoea among children under five ranged from 0.19% to 74.2% across different regions. Conclusions: There is a strong positive correlation between under-five diarrhoea and various meteorological factors, such as temperature and heavy rainfall, as well as extreme events (drought, flooding, cyclones, and heat waves). The findings demonstrate the urgent need for public health interventions
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DOI: 10.37284/eajhs.8.1.2735
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