This study explored risk factors associated with diarrhoea and upper
respiratory tract infections (URTIs) among children in Sembabule
district, Uganda. Data were collected from 300 women with children aged
less than two years using the WHO 30-cluster sampling technique. The
prevalence of diarrhoea among children was 40.3%. A child not immunized
(odds ratio [OR] 2.8, p<0.001), absence of latrine in a house (OR
1.4, p<0.03), low knowledge of mixing oral rehydration salts (OR
1.7, p<0.01), garbage thrown anywhere around the house (OR 2.6,
p<0.001), not washing hands after using latrine (OR 1.8, p<0.03),
and not washing hands before preparing food (OR 1.4, p<0.04) were
risk factors for diarrhoea. The prevalence of URTIs among children was
37.4%. A child not immunized (OR 2.4, p<0.001), children aged 6-11
months (OR 2.1, p<0.03), and previous episode of diarrhoea (OR 2.5,
p<0.001) were risk factors for URTIs. The results showed that low
immunization status was an important risk factor for diarrhoea and
URTIs among children in the study district of Uganda. For 75% of the
children, care for fever was obtained from drug shops, while 9.2% were
taken to health units. This is in contrast to diarrhoea cases where
49.5% of children were taken to health units for care. To reduce the
burden of disease among children in this district, an integrated
package of immunization services and other childcare programmes need to
be implemented in addition to improved personal and environmental
hygiene. There is also a need to design well-focused health-education
messages to improve treatment-seeking behaviour for childhood diseases