Abstract
Diarrhoea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Most deaths are caused by dehydration and are easily preventable by using oral rehydration therapy. Early management and recognition of danger signs are key strategies in treating diarrhoeal diseases at home. This study assessed the knowledge and health-care seeking behaviour of families regarding diarrhoeal illness in children aged under five years. The study was undertaken during June and July 2009 in an urban slum of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. Mothers of children (n = 101) suffering from diarrhoea with at least one episode in the last two weeks prior to the interview were included. Information was gathered on a predesigned and pretested questionnaire. Overall prevalence of diarrhoea in children under five was 36%. Life-threatening symptoms which the mothers knew were watery stool (85%) and repeated vomiting (54%). Two thirds (69%) of the mothers continued breastfeeding their children during the episode, while the remaining either withheld or interrupted breastfeeding. The majority visited a nearby unsanctioned health practitioner. Less than half (46.5%) of the mothers knew about oral rehydration salt solution and only 29.8% of those knew the correct method of preparation. Only 38.7% of the respondents knew about suitable fluids available at home, out of which salt sugar solution was the choice in most cases. The study highlights that the mothers' knowledge is not adequate. Educating mothers and caretakers regarding early home-based case management of childhood diarrhoea may substantially decrease morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoea.
Highlights
Diarrhoea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children
A case of acute diarrhoea was defined as a child up to the age of 60 months, having passed three or more loose stools in a day, with or without blood or mucous in stools at least once over a period of two weeks preceding the date of interview
The overall prevalence of diarrhoea in children aged under five years was 36%
Summary
Diarrhoea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Most deaths are caused by dehydration and are preventable by using oral rehydration therapy. Among the first five causes of mortality in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India, diarrhoea ranked second, contributing to 27% of the total deaths in the under-five age group [3]. The Indian version of this programme was launched in 1985-86 as the Diarrhoeal Disease Control Programme wherein focus shifted to strengthening the case management of diarrhoea in children under five years of age. This programme became a part of the Child Survival and Safe Motherhood Programme in 1992 and the Reproductive Child Health Programme in 1997 and the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness Programme in 2005. The strategy for the Integrated Management of Childhood Illness Programme aims to reduce childhood mortality and morbidity by improving the case management skills of health-care workers, improving the health-care system, and improving family and community
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