In an urban slum in eastern Kolkata, India, reported diarrhoea rates,
healthcare-use patterns, and factors associated with reported diarrhoea
episodes were studied as a part of a diarrhoea-surveillance project.
Data were collected through a structured interview during a census and
healthcare-use survey of an urban slum population in Kolkata. Several
variables were analyzed, including (a) individual demographics, such as
age and educational level, (b) household characteristics, such as
number of household members, religious affiliation of the household
head, building material, expenditure, water supply and sanitation, and
(c) behaviour, such as hand-washing after defecation and healthcare
use. Of 57,099 study subjects, 428 (0.7%) reported a diarrhoea episode
sometime during the four weeks preceding the interview. The strongest
independent factors for reporting a history of diarrhoea were having
another household member with diarrhoea (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=3.8;
95% confidence interval [CI] 3.3-4.4) and age less than 60 months
(adjusted OR=3.7; 95% CI 3.0-4.7). The first choice of treatment by the
428 subjects was as follows: 151 (35%) had self- or parent-treatment,
150 (35%) consulted a private allopathic practitioner, 70 (16%) went
directly to a pharmacy, 29 (7%) visited a hospital, 14 (3%) a
homoeopathic practitioner, 2 (0.5%) an ayurvedic practitioner, and 12
(3%) other traditional healers. The choices varied significantly with
the age of patients and their religion. The findings increase the
understanding of the factors and healthcare-use patterns associated
with diarrhoea episodes and may assist in developing public-health
messages and infrastructure in Kolkata