Predictors of Under-Five Caregivers' Utilization of Co-Packaged Zinc and Oral Rehydration Salts for Childhood Diarrhea in East Wollega Zone, Western Ethiopia.

Introduction: Diarrhea morbidity and mortality remain child health and economic burdens in low resource settings. In Ethiopia, diarrheal disease treatment service utilization remains very low. However, evidence on the level of utilization of zinc bundled with ORS among under-five caregivers' was not addressed.

Objective: The study aimed to identify predictors of under-five caregivers' utilization of co-packaged zinc and oral rehydration salts for childhood diarrhea in East Wollega Zone, Western Ethiopia, in 2022.

Methods: The study design used was a community-based cross-sectional study that was conducted among 540 randomly selected participants from April 1 to 30, 2022. Data were collected using interviewer-administered semi-structured questionnaires. It was entered into Epi-data version 3.1 and analyzed using SPSS version 26. An adjusted odds ratio along with a 95% confidence level was estimated, and a P value <0.05 was considered to declare the statistical significance in the multivariable analysis.

Results: About 39.6% of under-five caregivers' had utilized co-packaged zinc and oral rehydration salts for their childhood diarrhea at least once in the last 12 months. Having family size less than 5 [AOR and 95% CI = 5.72 (2.93,11.15)]; heard about the co-pack [AOR and 95% CI = 9.52 (4.95,23.68)]; perceived health status for the recent episode as poor [AOR and 95% CI = 5.90 (2.58, 15.96)] and medium [AOR and 95% CI = 2.20 (1.02, 4.83)]; perceived severity for recent episodes [AOR and 95% CI = 4.48 (1.36, 14.76)] and being community-based health insurance non-member [AOR and 95% CI = 2.28 (1.34, 6.90)] were statistically associated with co-packaged zinc and ORS utilization.

Conclusion: The study found that co-packaged zinc and oral rehydration salt utilization was low. Family size, heard about the co-pack, perceived health status, perceived severity, and CBHI membership were predictors of co-packaged utilization of zinc and ORS. Hence, concerned bodies in the health system should have devoted to maximize its uptake.