Effects of Educational Interventions on Maternal Self-efficacy and Childhood Diarrhea: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Diarrhea still causes high morbidity and mortality in children under five, requiring constant interventions. Thus, the study aims to evaluate the effects of educational technologies on maternal self-efficacy to prevent childhood diarrhea.

Randomized clinical trial carried out in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil, with four randomized groups of mothers of children under 5 years of age, as follows: control group (n = 61), group A (booklet, n = 60), group B (video, n = 60), and group AB (booklet and video, n = 60). From June to October 2015, data collection was carried out in three moments (the first in person and the others by telephone monitoring).

All groups improved their self-efficacy after the intervention, with higher scores in the group AB (booklet and video). A statistically significant association was found between the occurrence of diarrhea and maternal self-efficacy in groups A (booklet) (p = 0.023) and AB (booklet and video) (p = 0.042) at the second moment of data collection. From the second moment to the third moment, the risk of diarrhea decreased in group A, from 12.8 to 1.3, and in group AB, from 8.5 to 1.1.

The technologies used, isolated or combined, were effective in improving maternal self-efficacy and decreasing the occurrence of childhood diarrhea; therefore, they can be used by nurses as health education tools.