Survival Time Discrepancy among Under-Five-Year Children of Rural Parts of Ethiopia

Background: Ethiopia is ranked as the fifth of heavy under-five death burdened countries with the highestburden in its rural areas. This study aimed to identify the determinants of under-five deaths in rural partsof Ethiopia.Study Design: A population-based cross-sectional study.Methods: The data for this study was extracted from the ۲۰۱۶ Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey.Descriptive analysis, non-parametric estimation, and Cox proportional hazards regression model wereused to examine the determinants of under-five mortality.Results: A total of ۷۳۰۱ under-five eligible children from rural areas were involved in this survey, and۶.۵% of the cases were passed away before reaching their fifth birthday. Male children’s death accountedfor ۵۹.۷% of the death rate in the participants. An estimated median survival time was ۳۱ months [۹۵%CI: ۳۰-۳۲]. About ۸۳% of children’s death occurred among children delivered at home. Cox proportionalhazard regression model revealed that gender, delivery-place, family-size, mother’s education, number ofchildren, contraceptive use, and source of drinking water had significant effects on survival time of underfivechildren. Under-five mortality was significantly fewer in female children (HR = ۰.۷۲۸; ۹۵% CI: ۰.۶۰۶-۰.۸۷۵, P = ۰.۰۰۱), children delivered at health facilities (HR = ۰.۷۳۸; ۹۵% CI: ۰.۵۷۲-۰.۹۵۱, P = ۰.۰۱۹),and those from secondary and above educated mothers (HR = ۰.۴۶۴; ۹۵% CI: ۰.۳۰۱-۰.۷۱۴, P = ۰.۰۰۱),compared to the reference category.Conclusion: Significant risk factors were associated with under-five mortality in rural areas. Delivering inhealth facilities, uses of contraceptives, mother’s education, and improvement of infrastructures shouldbe areas of concern to decrease under-five children’s deaths.

Keywords:

Ethiopia , Risk Factors , Survival analysis , Under-five