Underfive Mortality and Associated Factors among Children Born from 15-49 Years Old Mothers in Haramaya Town, Eastern Ethiopia

Abstract BACKGROUND Globally, since 2000, a decline in the underfive mortality rate has been recorded, indicating that over 50 million children’s lives have been saved. More than 80 countries globally, specifically 69 developing nations, have reduced the underfive mortality by half since 2000. In the eastern part of Ethiopia, evidence from the Kersa Health and Demographic Surveillance System in the Kersa district of East Hararghe Zone, Oromia Region, suggested a decline in the underfive mortality rate from 131.8 per 1000 live births in 2008 to 77.4 per 1000 live births in 2013. The death rates still remain far from the Sustainable Development Goals’ target reduction to 25 or less per 1000 live births by 2030. However, the magnitude and determinants of underfive mortalities have not been studied in Haramaya town. OBJECTIVE To assess the underfive mortality rate and its associated factors among children born from 7 th August 2015 to 6 th August 2020 in Haramaya town, east Ethiopia, by 7 th –31 st August 2020. METHODOLOGY A quantitative cross-sectional population-based study was conducted on 391 pairs of 15- to 49-year-old mothers and their live-born underfive children selected using a systematic random sampling technique from Haramaya town to compare child mortality between the <=24 and >=25 mother’s age groups. Data were collected using an interview-based questionnaire, double entered into EpiData 3.1, and then exported to the statistical package for social sciences program version 20.0 for analysis. Binary logistic regression analysis (p value <0.20) was performed to examine the crude association of predictors with underfive mortality, and then multiple logistic regression analysis (p value <0.05) was performed to measure the statistical association. RESULTS The deaths of 28 out of 372 live births resulted in an underfive mortality rate of 75 per 1000 live births. Children born in households with fewer than 6 members had 7. 98 times higher odds of dying than those born in households with at least 6 members (AOR =7.98, 95% CI =1.59-40.17). Those children who did not feed colostrum were associated with a 17.45 times increased risk of underfive deaths compared to colostrum-fed children (AOR =17.45, 95% CI =6.54-46.55). CONCLUSION The study suggests that 75 per 1000 live births die before celebrating their fifth birth day. Household size and colostrum feeding are significantly associated factors. RECOMMENDATION All concerned should inform the mothers of the role of identified factors such as household size and colostrum feeding in child survival.