Burden of acute gastroenteritis among children younger than 5？years of age – a survey among parents in the United Arab Emirates

A quantitative cross-sectional survey of 500 parents of children under 5？years of age who had suffered from acute gastroenteritis the preceding three months was conducted in the cities of Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Data collected included respondent characteristics, disease symptoms, medical care sought, and parental expenditures and work loss. Data were analyzed using parametric and non-parametric statistical methods.Vomiting and diarrhea episodes lasted on average between 3 and 4？days. Overall, 87% of parents sought medical care for their children; 10% of these cases required hospitalization with an average length of stay of 2.6？days. When medical care was sought, the average parental cost per gastroenteritis episode was US$64, 4.5 times higher than with home care only (US$14). Nearly 60% of this difference was attributable to co-payments and medication use: 69% of children used oral rehydration solution, 68% antiemetics, 65% antibiotics and 64% antidiarrheals. Overall, 38 parents missed work per 100 gastroenteritis episodes for an average of 1.4？days.Given its high incidence, pediatric gastroenteritis has an important financial and productivity impact on parents in the United Arab Emirates. To reduce this impact, efforts should be made both to prevent acute gastroenteritis and to optimize its treatment.Annually about two billion cases of diarrheal diseases occur among children under the age of five globally [1]. Despite the fact that acute gastroenteritis can be prevented the disease still affects children, particularly under the age of two [1]. Gastroenteritis results from an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract commonly caused by viral pathogens and less frequently by bacterial or parasitic organisms [2,3]. Every year about 1.5 million children die from diarrheal diseases, mostly in developing countries; this makes diarrheal diseases the second most common cause of death among children under the age of five following pneumonia [1].Although the burden of diarrh