Objective: This research was made as a descriptive study for the purpose of examining the effects of
poverty on the frequency of illness in children aged 1-4 years.
Method: The research population was comprised of children aged 1-4 who lived in Yeşilyurt
Subdivision, which has the lowest socioeconomic level in Muş province, and in Kültür-2 Subdivision, which has
the highest socioeconomic level. The research sample was comprised of a total of 260 children who were chosen
by using a formula that assumed that there would be a difference of 30% based on frequency of becoming ill
between the high and low socioeconomic level subdivisions. Survey form was completed in face to face
interviews with the mothers of 1-4 year old children during home visits. Data were evaluated on the computer.
Number, percentage and Chi square test were used in the analysis of the data.
Results: It was determined that 16.9% of the children in the Yeşilyurt Subdivision had ear infections
three times a year, 20.9% had diarrhea-vomiting five or more times a year, and 19.5% had urinary tract
infection five or more times a year; 89.3% of the children in the Kültür-2 Subdivision had ear infections once a
year, 62.9% had diarrhea-vomiting once or twice a year and 90.0% had urinary tract infection once or twice a
year (p<0.05).
Conclusion: As it has been confirmed that the children living in low socio-economic neighbourhoods
get sick more and more often, it is recommended that midwife/nurses ought to determine particularly the
children living in low socio-economic regions and follow them quite often.