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This population-based epidemiologic study investigated the associations of individuals' sociodemographic statuses, sanitary systems and habits, water supply and drainage conditions with diarrhoea incidences among 707 children younger than 5 years who were living in slum communities with various water logging patterns in Dhaka, Bangladesh. We conducted a homevisiting survey during the pre-monsoon period from December 2006 to April 2007. Nine slum communities were selected that had been experiencing five different water logging conditions. One non-water logging community was selected as a control. The Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) were calculated using data on diarrhoea morbidity and mortality. Although DALYs lost because of diarrhoea were very small in a non-inundation type community, but were the highest in persistent drainage inundation type communities. Among the factors correlated with DALYs, control variables for mother's illiteracy and household income strongly attenuated most of these correlations to statistical null, except for mother's age (less than 15 years-old), using hanging latrine and not washing hands before eating, and after defecation. In conclusion, water logging conditions and socio-economic statuses may strongly contribute to diarrhoea incidence in the city's slum communities. In such communities, interventions to address both water logging and socio-economic conditions may be critical for reducing diarrhoea incidences.

This study quantifies the diarrhea burden among migrant children under age 5 (who have migrated due to environmental degradation) in Dhaka. We used a multifactor socioepidemiological as well as environmental approach with pretested questionnaires and observations. It was found that 52% of the children were affected by diarrhea. Disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost was reduced manifold with the increase of mothers' behavioral determinants. Health losses were 1,718 fold with significant coefficient (β) in the migrant group. DALYs lost were significantly associated with socioenvironmental factors such as mother's illiteracy (β = .18; p < .001), no hand wash before eating (β = .08; p = .004), and no hand wash after defecation (β = .10; p < .001). This puts emphasis clearly on the awareness at household level, especially of mothers and children under age 5 in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in formulating migration-related policies.

This study aims at quantification of health losses, considering social and environmental factors.Morbidity and mortality cases of diarrhoea for children under five years old were used to estimate the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) lost for the target households in low-income communities in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Water supply facilities and sanitation systems, along with hygiene practices and their health outcomes, were studied at community level. Demographic, socio-economic and socio-cultural aspects were also studied to support the research findings and give a better understanding of the local conditions. The four selected communities, Ward 60 (W60), Ward 61 (W61), Ward 62 (W62) and Ward 65 (W65), all had different existing urban services such as water supply, sanitation, garbage management and drainage facilities. All of these services existed in W62, but W60 did not have any of the services; W61 had sanitation and drainage coverage, whereas W65 had only a water supply facility. The results conclusively showed that, compared with the null (absence of services) scenario (W60), the other three scenarios (W61, W62 and W65)showed a substantial decrease of diarrhoea (1.219, 1.284 and 2.052 DALYs/household/year, respectively) reported for children under five years old. Besides urban services, other socio-economic characteristics might also influence the prevalence of diseases.