Introduction: Diarrhea remains the second leading cause of death among children under five years globally. Nearly one in five child deaths, about 1.5 million each year, are due to diarrhea. It kills more young children than Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS), malaria and measles combined. World Health Organization has accordingly underlined the need for epidemiological surveys of infantile diarrhea in all geographical areas. The main research objectives were to estimate the prevalence of diarrhea and identify factors associated with diarrheal diseases in Tiko city in Cameroon. Method: The present study was a cross-sectional community household survey which was conducted in Tiko town from 1st to 31st of August 2012. With the use of a questionnaire, a total of 602 households that had at least one child under five years of age were interviewed. Mothers/caregivers were questioned on the morbidity of diarrhea and the logistic regression model was employed to examine the determinants of childhood diarrhea. Both univariable and multivariable data analysis was performed using SPSS version 16.0. Results: The results of this study showed that the prevalence of diarrhea was 23.8% and children under 24 months were highly affected. We found children using the main toilet and other types of toilet facilities such as bushes, diaper, and streams (OR: 0.194; p < 0.001, 95% CI) and usage of narrow-mouth container for storage of drinking water (OR: 0.492; p < 0.001, 95% CI) less likely to suffer from diarrhea. In contrast, higher rates of diarrhea prevalence were seen in children from households with two or more siblings (OR: 1.222; p < 0.001, 95% CI) and whose mothers/caregivers never

Sub-Saharan Africa has a long history of struggling with child undernutrition. The prevalence of undernutrition is still high and knowledge about this public health problem and the underlying causes is essential for children's health. Aim: To evaluate the anthropometric status of children under five in the Bandja village of Cameroon. Methods: A cross-sectional study was undertaken that included 388 children. Undernutrition was evaluated in terms of wasting, stunting and underweight. Information on sex, age, birth order, birth interval, duration of breastfeeding, and mother's age at birth, occupation and educational level were collected. Results: The prevalence of wasting, stunting and underweight was 3.2%, 16.4% and 5.2%, respectively. Boys were more stunted than girls (OR 2.24; 95% CI 1.16-4.34). Children less than 30 months were more often wasted than older children (OR 17.70; 95% CI 1.82-172.40). The first and second born in order were more stunted than the third or later born in order (OR 2.06; 95% CI 1.02-4.18). Children of farming mothers were more often stunted (OR 2.87; 95% CI 1.35-6.13) and underweight (OR 3.47; 95% CI 1.09-11.09) than others. Children still being breastfed were more underweight (OR 6.52; 95% CI 1.31-32.43) than those whose mothers had finished breastfeeding. Conclusion: Undernutrition is highly prevalent in Bandja, and is more common among boys, younger children, first born in order, children still being breastfed and children of farming mothers. This study underlines the importance of intervention to prevent and reduce undernutrition among children.

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BackgroundThis paper documents the experiences of patients who use the knowledge and practices of the “African chemist’’, and the determinants of this therapeutic recourse in their ‘quest for therapy’ as ‘quest for relief’ within the context of medical pluralism in Yaounde, Cameroon. MethodThe study adopts a mixed qualitative and quantitative methodological approach comprised of 30 individual in-depth interviews and the administration of 100 questionnaires to participants.ResultThis study neither found that self-medication is wholely nor exclusively preoccupied with therapy for minor physical ailments, but also for diseases and problems with perceived supernatural undertones and for the achievement of personal success and desires. It suggests that social relations, personal experiences and perceptions of trust are central to the choice of the ‘African pharmacy’ as a therapeutic recourse. ConclusionThe popularity of this informal healthcare institution that can be categorized neither under traditional healing nor under modern medicine contradicts the focus on the latter stages of the illness referral system when a patient seeks help from a specialist. This practical case of medical pluralism articulates the need to focus on the local context, on the everyday realities of illness and therapy seeking and to prioritise experiences and social relations that are often obscured in health statistics and development policies.