Maternal practices and awareness of diarrhea management in children under-five: evidence from Pune, India
Sandhya A Shukla1, Sonali P Suryawanshi1, Priti P Dhande1
1Department of Pharmacology, Bharati Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) Medical College, Pune, India.
Insights
Mothers in Pune show good knowledge of diarrhea causes and oral rehydration solution (ORS) use but need more education on zinc supplementation for effective home management of childhood diarrhea.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Diarrhea is a major cause of child mortality in developing nations.
- Maternal knowledge and practices are crucial for preventing and managing childhood diarrhea at home.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of mothers concerning diarrhea prevention and management in under-five children in Pune, India.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional survey involving 122 mothers was conducted at a tertiary care hospital's pediatric outpatient department.
- Data were collected via questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests.
Main Results:
- High awareness (99.18%) of contaminated water as a cause and correct oral rehydration solution (ORS) preparation (95.9%).
- Limited recognition of zinc supplementation's role (28.7%).
- Higher education and income correlated with better knowledge, but not practice; a weak knowledge-practice link (r=0.34) was observed.
Conclusions:
- Mothers possess strong awareness regarding diarrhea causes and ORS, but knowledge gaps exist concerning zinc supplementation.
- Targeted health education is essential to improve evidence-based home management practices for childhood diarrhea.
Introduction:
Diarrhea remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children under-five in developing countries. Mothers' knowledge and practices play a critical role in early home management and prevention.
Objectives:
To assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of mothers of under-five children regarding the prevention and management of diarrhea in Pune, India.
Methods:
A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 122 mothers attending the pediatric outpatient department of a tertiary care hospital. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to diarrhea were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests.
Results:
Most mothers (67.2%) correctly defined diarrhea, and nearly all (99.18%) identified contaminated water as a major cause. Awareness of ORS was high, with 95.9% knowing its correct preparation. However, only 28.7% recognized the role of zinc supplementation. Higher education, employment, and income were significantly associated with better knowledge (p < 0.05), but not with practice scores. A weak positive correlation (r = 0.34) was found between knowledge and practice. About 27% followed all three WHO-recommended home-based treatments (ORS, increased fluids, continued feeding), while 3% relied solely on antibiotics.
Conclusion:
Mothers demonstrated good awareness of diarrhea causes and ORS use but lacked adequate knowledge of zinc supplementation. Health education efforts should target these gaps to promote complete and evidence-based home management practices.
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