Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude& Practice of Child Care Givers towards Oral Rehydration Salt for Diarrhea Treatment in under 5 Children in Wolaita Sodo Town, SNNPR/2016

Abstract

Introduction: Diarrheal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old, and is responsible for killing around 760 000 children every year in Africa. The early use of ORT at home in children with diarrhea decreases the number of outpatient visits and hospitalizations and overall medical costs.Objective: To assess knowledge, attitude & practice of child care givers towards oral rehydration salt for diarrhea treatment in under 5 children in Sodo town, SNNPR 2016 Methodology: community based cross-sectional study was conducted in Sodo town on child care takers of under five children to assess the current knowledge, attitude & practice of ORS for treatment of diarrhea among 250 samples who were selected with systematic random sampling. 3 kebeles were selected by simple random sampling method, and then systematic simple random technique was used to select the sample size. Data processed manually with scientific calculator.Result: In this study 40(16%) children have experienced diarrhea in the two weeks preceding the survey as stated by the mother (mother’s recall). From those participants of the study 210(84.6%) of respondents said they have heard about ORT, only 186(74.4%) were knowledgeable. Only 180(72 percent) of the mothers knew the harmful effects of giving too much ORS at a time and 144(57.6 percent) knew the danger of keeping ORS for a longer period. The findings also reveal that 29(11.6 percent) of mothers had misconceptions about the use of ORS. Significant proportion of mothers has a misperception than feeding the child with diarrhea aggravates the disease 28(11.2%). From the total of mothers who involved in the study 186(74.4%) has ever experienced ORS use.Conclusion & recommendation: significant proportion of mother lack the knowledge of ORS, have misperception and low practice of it. So that the health care workers should therefore spend more time to emphasize on the need of ORS for the prevention of dehydration due to diarrhea and undertake; IEC activities .for correct preparation of ORS solution.

Keywords: diarrhea, ORT, ORS