A comprehensive new study shows that climate change is significantly increasing the risk of diarrhoea among children under five years old in South and Southeast Asia, including India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, and Timor-Leste.
The research on the increased risk of diarrhoea among children in South and Southeast Asia due to climate change was published in the journal Environmental Research. The study was led by researchers from Australia, including Flinders University, and analyzed data from more than three million children across eight Asian countries.
Key climate-related drivers identified are:
- Temperature extremes: An annual temperature range between 30°C and 40°C is linked to a 39% increase in diarrhoea probability.
- Reduced rainfall (drought conditions): When precipitation in the wettest month falls below 600 mm, the risk rises by about 29%.
Social factors also compound the risk:
- Lower maternal education (< 8 years of schooling) is associated with an 18% higher diarrhoea risk in children, because educated mothers tend to have better knowledge of hygiene practices, disease prevention, and timely treatment like oral rehydration therapy.
- Larger household sizes (more than six members) increase the risk mildly by about 9%.
These findings emphasize a dual threat: climate factors such as heat and drought reduce water quality and availability, increasing exposure to diarrhoeal pathogens, especially in vulnerable, densely-populated, and resource-limited regions. Simultaneously, social determinants like maternal education and sanitation infrastructure play critical roles in either mitigating or exacerbating these risks.
Therefore, the study advocates for climate-resilient public health policies, focusing on:
- Expanding maternal education efforts to improve childcare and hygiene awareness.
- Improving access to safe water and sanitation infrastructure.
- Managing overcrowding through better housing and resource policies.
- Integrating child health strategies with climate adaptation plans to combat the growing diarrhoeal burden under global warming.
In summary, climate change intensifies child diarrhoea risk through temperature and rainfall extremes, but social interventions, especially maternal education and sanitation improvements, are essential for mitigating these effects across South and Southeast Asia.