PREVENTION OF DIARRHEA IN YOUNG-CHILDREN IN DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES

An updated review of nonvaccine interventions for the prevention of ch ildhood diarrhoea in developing countries is presented. The importance of various key preventive strategies (breast-feeding, water supply an d sanitation improvements) is confirmed and certain aspects of others (promotion of personal and domestic hygiene, weaning education/food hy giene) are refined. Evidence is also presented to suggest that, subjec t to cost-effectiveness examination, two other strategies - vitamin A supplementation and the prevention of low birth weight - should be pro moted to the first category of interventions, as classified by Feachem , i.e. those which are considered to have high effectiveness and stron g feasibility.