Article

Knowledge and management of diarrhea among underserved minority parents/caregivers.

Department of Pediatrics, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine & Science, King/Drew Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90059, USA.
Ambulatory Pediatrics (impact factor: 1.6). 2(3):201-6.
Source: PubMed

ABSTRACT Dehydration resulting from diarrhea continues to be a cause of morbidity, mortality, and increased health care costs in the United States. This study assesses parental knowledge of the causes and signs of diarrhea and dehydration. It also examines parental-care practices during an episode of diarrhea.
A survey was given to 219 parents/caregivers of children less than 5 years of age who presented to a pediatric continuity clinic. A bilingual interviewer was used to administer the surveys to participants for assessing knowledge of causes, signs, and treatment of diarrhea; signs of dehydration; and care practices during an episode of diarrhea.
A wide variation in the level of awareness of signs, causes, and treatment of diarrhea was detected. General knowledge of diarrhea was related positively to accessibility of health information, level of education, ethnicity, and experience with dehydration. General knowledge of diarrhea, adjusted for level of education, was higher in African Americans than in Hispanics.
In children, dehydration from diarrhea may be prevented by increasing parents'/caregivers' general knowledge of diarrhea and dehydration and the appropriate usage of oral rehydration solutions. Intervention programs designed to increase parents'/caregivers' knowledge must be culturally sensitive and appropriate for diverse educational backgrounds and must assist in improving access to health-related information.

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  • Article: A survey of mothers' knowledge about childhood diarrhoea and its management among a marginalised community of Morang, Nepal.
    Ansari Mukhtar, Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed Izham, Ravi Shankar Pathiyil
    [show abstract] [hide abstract]
    ABSTRACT: Diarrhoea, a common disease, is one of the major determinants of childhood morbidity and mortality in Nepal. This cross-sectional survey used a self-designed and pretested structured questionnaire to gather data on mothers' knowledge about childhood diarrhoea. The study was conducted in the Morang district of Nepal from June to August 2010. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Testing for significant difference and correlation of mothers' knowledge about diarrhoea with demographic factors were performed by using Kruskal-Wallis test and Spearman's rank correlation at an alpha level of 0.05. Mothers had some basic knowledge about the prevention of diarrhoea, and fluids/foods which can or cannot be given during bouts of diarrhoea. Knowledge about signs of dehydration was poor. None of the mothers were able to mention all the steps for correct and complete preparation of oral rehydration salt (ORS) and salt-sugar-water (SSW) solutions. Only 8.5% of the mothers stated that the purpose of giving ORS solution during diarrhoea is to prevent the child from getting dehydrated. Knowledge about signs of dehydration and the management approaches of diarrhoea at home was poor. Thus, there is a need for public health educational interventions.
    Australasian Medical Journal 01/2011; 4(9):474-9.
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Keywords

219 parents/caregivers
 
5 years
 
African Americans
 
appropriate usage
 
bilingual interviewer
 
children
 
diverse educational backgrounds
 
General knowledge
 
health care costs
 
health information
 
health-related information
 
increase parents'/caregivers' knowledge
 
Intervention programs
 
oral rehydration solutions
 
parents'/caregivers' general knowledge
 
pediatric continuity clinic
 
study assesses parental knowledge
 
surveys
 
United States
 
wide variation
 

Ifeoma Anidi