Knowledge and attitudes of caregivers, promoting the importance of hand washing for the prevention of diarrhea in children under five years of age

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to establish a prevention program aimed at modifying the knowledge and attitudes of caregivers, promoting the importance of handwashing for the prevention of diarrhea in children under five years of age in the township of Belisario Porras, District of San Miguelito, and thus validate a prevention program aimed at modifying the knowledge and attitudes of caregivers promoting the importance of handwashing. It is a quantitative correlational descriptive research with a quasi-experimental research design, field type. As for the population, it consisted of 30 families in the "Asentamiento La Victoria", district of Belisario Porras, District of San Miguelito, and the sample corresponded to the number of 16 caregivers belonging to 10 families living in the mentioned place, therefore, the type of sample is non-probabilistic and intentional. The data collection technique was through a survey, with the instrumental support of a questionnaire. Based on this premise, it was concluded that diarrheal disease is one of the main causes of malnutrition in children under five years of age. In addition to mentioning that it is the second cause of death in this age group, where unfortunately, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the causal factor is mainly due to the lack of hygiene in food handling; in this sense, part of the respondents are aware of the prevention measures in cases of diarrhea; However, this is unfounded, because in practice, hand washing hygiene is not carried out in a responsible and adequate manner, and this is the main cause of food contamination and of causing diarrhea in children under five years of age.