ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Diarrheal disease is the commonchildhood illness and a leading killer of children aged under 5 years, especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. The aim of this study was to assess the
prevalence of diarrheal disease and associated risk factors among children of 6-59 months old at Adama district rural kebeles, Eastern Ethiopia.

METHODS: Community based cross sectional study design was conducted in January/2015. Descriptive method was used to describe study variables quantitatively and explanatory method to identify the effect of determinant factors on diarrheal disease occurrence. A single population proportion sample size formula was applied. Random sampling procedure was used by lottery method to select five kebeles and 442 house-holds. Data was collected by using pretested, structured questionnaires through interview and observational checklist by trained data collectors. Double entry was made to epi-info 3.5.3 and & transferredtoSPSS20foranalysis.

RESULT: The two weeks’ period prevalence of diarrheal disease in children aged 6 to59 months was 14.7%; 95%CI [11.5-18.1]. mother/caregiver who did not practice hand washing during the critical time
was the only factor identified to be significantly associated with AOR=2.2; 95%CI [1.0-4.7] for the child hooddiarrhealdiseaseoccurrenceatAdamadistictruralkebeles.

CONCLUSION: Diarrheal disease prevalence is changed by child’s caregiver hand washing practice during critical time. Health education for child’s caregiver on hand washing practice during critical time
is an important intervention for the prevention of diarrheal disease prevalence among children.

KEYWORDS: sub-Saharan Africa, Ethiopia, diarrhea, children and hand washing
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/ejhs.v26i6.12