Climate Change and Diarrhoea in Sub-Saharan Africa: Trends among Children Under Five

Background Diarrhoeal disease is the third leading cause of death in children under 5 years old with an increasing morbidity and mortality annually. Climate change exacerbates the burden of diarrhoea disease through increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, changes in precipitation patterns, and rising temperatures. Analyzing regional variations in climate change-related diarrhoea helps develop targeted adaptation strategies. The study examines the trends in climate change-related diarrhoea among children under five years old in Sub-Saharan Africa. Methods A rapid review was conducted to analyse the patterns and trends of diarrhoea among children under 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa due to climate change. The study retrieved 89 research publications from 2016 to 2024 from electronic databases (PubMed, African Index Medicus, Scopus, Web of Science, Google scholar and Google). Only 31 papers were selected for full-text review and assessed for eligibility, and 14 articles were selected for rapid review. Narrative synthesis was employed in data analysis. Results The study reveals a significant positive association between temperature rise and increased rainfall and floods and the incidence of diarrheal disease among children under five in sub-Saharan Africa. The increased diarrheal episodes mostly occur in warmer conditions during the dry seasons. An increase in temperature, average rainfall, relative humidity, and severe floods increased the incidence rate of diarrheal disease. However, a negative association was reported, and another study showed heterogeneity in the association between temperature, precipitation and diarrheal disease. Conclusions 11 studies showed a positive association between temperature rise, increased rainfall, floods, and diarrheal disease incidence in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly during dry seasons, but also 3 studies revealed negative associations and heterogeneity. Climate-resilient measures should be implemented to reduce the burden of diarrhoea, particularly in areas forecasted to experience increased rainfall and temperature.