Diarrhoea in children under five years of age in South Africa (1997–2014)

Objective To present evidence from available reliable published data on the prevalence, incidence and severity of diarrhoea in children aged under five years in South Africa. Methods We searched seven electronic databases. Two reviewers assessed the studies independently and extracted outcome data. The heterogeneity of the studies did not allow for a meta-analysis. Results We found only one nationally representative study conducted in 1998 reporting a diarrhoea prevalence of 13% in children under five. Other studies were conducted in smaller settings across the country. Diarrhoea incidence was 10.13 per 1000 person years in children admitted to a tertiary hospital. Three studies reported severity of diarrhoea; however, they differed across study settings and time period. Conclusion The paucity of nationally representative prevalence data for SA necessitates more national surveys with standardised data-collection methods to allow for more effective comparisons.