A Descriptive Study to Assess the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Mothers of Children (0–5 years) about Prevention and Management of Diarrhoea in a Selected Urban Slum Area of Delhi
Abstract
Introduction: Children are the future of the nation. Their healthy development is an investment in
national development and productivity. Mothers are important persons in children’s lives. Objectives:
The study was aimed to access the knowledge, attitude, and practice of mothers of children (0–5
years) about prevention and management of diarrhoea, to relate the knowledge of mothers of children
(0–5 years) with the attitude and practice about prevention and management of diarrhoea, to
associate the knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers of children (0–5 years) about prevention
and management of diarrhoea with the socio-demographic variables. Methods: It was descriptive
correlational research. A structured knowledge questionnaire, attitude scale, and checklist were used.
Tool 1 had 3 parts. Part A: Socio-demographic variables; and Part B: Structured knowledge
questionnaire consisted of 15 knowledge items. Tool 2: Attitude scale consisted of 12 items on 5-point
Likert scale, practice label checklist consisted of 13 items. 200 mothers of children (0–5 years) of age
were selected by a convenient sampling technique. Data was analyzed using descriptive and
inferential statistics. Results: The results showed that 80% of the mothers of children had average
knowledge level, 96% of them had favorable attitude, and 76% of them had good practice towards
prevention and management of diarrhoea. The findings of this study revealed that there was a
significant correlation between knowledge and attitude, and also a correlation between knowledge
and practice. There was a significant association between knowledge, attitude, practice scores, and
selected demographic variables such as education of mother, occupation of mother, family income,
and type of family. On the basis of the results, the guidelines were prepared, validated with experts,
and disseminated to the mothers of the children (0–5 years) selected in an urban community.
Conclusion: The study concluded that mothers are the first teacher and guides for children. After the
interview, every mother was curious to know about the prevention and management of diarrhoea so
more attention needs to be given to increase the
knowledge to develop a positive attitude and to
improve the practice about prevention and
management of diarrhoea.
Full Text:
PDFReferences
World Health Organization 2009. (2017, July) Diarrhoea disease fact sheet. [Online] Available
from http//www.who.int/meiacentre/factsheets/fs330/en/index.html.
UNICEF. (2009, Oct.) Diarrhoea: Why children are still dying and what can be done UNICEF
and WHO launch report on the second greatest killer of children. [Online] Available from
https://www.unicef.org/media/media_51407.html#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%2C%2014%20Octo
ber%202009,World%20Health%20Organization%20(WHO).
Lakshminarayanan S, Jayalakshmy R. Diarrheal diseases among children in India: Current
scenario and future perspectives. Journal of Natural Science, Biology, and Medicine. 2015; 6(1):
–28.
Mukhtar A, Izham MI, et al. A survey of mothers’ knowledge about childhood diarrhea and its
management among a marginalized community of Morang, Nepal. The Australasian Medical
Journal. 2011; 4(9): 474–479.
Khalili M, Mirshahi M, et al. Maternal knowledge and practice regarding childhood diarrhea and
diet in Zahedan, Iran. Health Scope. 2013; 2(1): 19–24.
Padhy S, Sethi RK, et al. Mother’s knowledge, attitude and practice regarding prevention and
management of diarrhea in children in Southern Odisha. International Journal of Contemporary
Pediatrics. 2017; 4(3): 966–971.
Ganguly E, Sharma PK, et al. Prevalence and risk factors of diarrhea morbidity among under-five
children in India: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Indian Journal of Child Health. 2015;
(4): 152–160.
Diouf K, Tabatabai P, et al. Diarrhea prevalence in children under five years of age in rural
Burundi: an assessment of social and behavioural factors at the household level. Global Health
Action. 2014; 7(1): 24895.
Mengistie B, Berhane Y, et al. Prevalence of diarrhea and associated risk factors among children
under-five years of age in Eastern Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. Open Journal of Preventive
Medicine. 2013; 3(7): 446–453.
Thiam S, Diène AN, et al. Prevalence of diarrhea and risk factors among children under five years
old in Mbour, Senegal: a cross-sectional study. Infectious Diseases of Poverty. 2017; 6(1): 109.
Berhe H, Mihret A, et al. Prevalence of diarrhoea and associated factors among children under-
five years of age in Enderta Woreda, Tigray, Northern Ethiopia, 2014. International Journal of
Therapeutic Applications. 2016; 31: 32–37.
Thiam S, Diène AN, et al. Prevalence of diarrhoea and risk factors among children under five
years old in Mbour, Senegal: a cross-sectional study. Infectious Diseases of Poverty. 2017;
(1):109.
Joseph N, Suvarna P, et al. Prevalence, risk factors and treatment practices in diarrheal diseases in
south India. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. 2016; 21(4): 248–257.
Basa S. Prevalence of diarrhoea among under-five children and health seeking behavior of their
mothers in an urban slum of Delhi. Asian Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
; 5(45): 8–11.
Padhy S, Sethi RK, et al. Mother’s knowledge, attitude and practice regarding prevention and
management of diarrhoea in children in Southern Odisha. International Journal of Contemporary
Pediatrics. 2017; 4(3): 966–971.
Naseem A, Swetha R. Knowledge attitude and practices of childhood diarrhoea and ORS
administration in diarrhoea amongst mothers of children below age 5 years: a hospital based
cross-sectional survey. Int J Pediatr Res. 2016; 3(6): 416–420.
Mukhtar A, Izham MI, et al. A survey of mothers’ knowledge about childhood diarrhoea and its
management among a marginalised community of Morang, Nepal. The Australasian Medical
Journal. 2011; 4(9): 474–479.
Mumtaz Y, Zafar M, et al. Knowledge attitude and practices of mothers about diarrhea in children
under 5 years. Journal of Dow University of Health Sciences. 2014; 8(1):3–6.
Rokkappanavar KK, Nigudgi SR, et al. A study on knowledge and practice of mothers of under-
five children regarding management of diarrhoea in urban field practice area of MRMC,
Kalaburagi, Karnataka, India. International Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health.
; 3(3): 705–710.
Datta V, John R, et al. Maternal knowledge, attitude and practices towards diarrhea and oral
rehydration therapy in rural Maharashtra. The Indian Journal of Pediatrics. Nov 2001; 68(11):
–1037.
Chaudhary P, Basu S, et al. Knowledge, attitude and practice of mothers regarding diarrhoeal
illness in children under five years of age: a cross sectional study in an urban slum of Delhi, India.
The Journal of Communicable Diseases. 2014; 46(3): 13–21.
Ghasemi AA, Talebian A, et al. Knowledge of mothers in management of diarrhea in under-five
children, in Kashan, Iran. Nurs Midwifery Stud. 2013; 1(3): 158–162.
Florence Nwaoha A, Chima Ohaeri C, et al. Prevalence of diarrhoea, and associated risk factors,
in children aged 0–5 years, at two hospitals in Umuahia, Abia, Nigeria. Cuadernos de
Investigación. 2017; 9(1): 7–14.
Mahor GR. Knowledge and attitudes of mothers regarding use of oral rehydration solution in
management of diarrhea. Asian Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences. 2013; 3(22):
–8.
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.