The use of oral rehydration salt in managing children under 5 y old with diarrhea in the Gambia: Knowledge, attitude, and practice

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2013-11, Vol.29 (11-12), p.1368-1373
• Main Authors: Sillah, Famara, M.Sc, Ho, Hsin-Jung, M.Sc, Chao, Jane C-J., Ph.D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Attitude; Biological and medical sciences; Child, Preschool; Childhood diarrhea; children; Children & youth; correlation; Developing Countries; Diarrhea; Diarrhea - prevention & control; Diarrhea - therapy; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fluid Therapy - methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gambia; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; hands; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; Humans; Infant; Knowledge; LDCs; linear models; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; mortality; Mothers; oral rehydration; Oral rehydration solution; Other diseases. Semiology; Practice; Prevention; quantitative analysis; Regression analysis; Social Class; Socioeconomic factors; socioeconomic status; Socioeconomics; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Surveys and Questionnaires; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2013.05.014

Abstract Objective Diarrhea is a leading cause of mortality in children under the age of 5 y in developing countries. To our knowledge, no other studies have investigated the management of diarrhea in the Gambia. The aim of this study was to assess maternal knowledge, attitude, and practice in the causes, prevention, and management of diarrhea in children under the age of 5 y in the Gambia. Methods Four hundred mothers with children who have diarrhea and are under the age of 5 y were randomly recruited. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, including demographic information, knowledge about diarrhea, attitude toward the management of diarrhea, and practice for the prevention and management of diarrhea. χ2 and Student's t tests were used for the descriptive and quantitative analysis, respectively. Simple and multiple linear regressions were used to determine the association between the variables. A P- value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results The mean of maternal knowledge (K), attitude (A), practice (P), and knowledge–attitude–practice sum (KAP) scores were 14.4, 6.3, 13.2, and 33.9, respectively. The mean of knowledge scores were significantly higher in mothers who responded positively for germs (13.4 versus 12.6) and dirty hands (13.7 versus 13.0) as causes of diarrhea. Mothers with education had significantly higher knowledge (14.7 versus 14.2) and attitude scores (6.6 versus 6.1) in management of diarrhea. However, the study found a low use rate (4%) of oral rehydration solution in practice. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that maternal age was positively associated with practice (β = 0.061) and KAP scores (β = 0.102). The number of children in the family was positively correlated with attitude scores (β = 0.408). Socioeconomic status was positively associated with attitude (β = 0.549), practice (β = 0.841), and KAP scores (β = 1.887). Conclusions The mothers have high knowledge scores in the management of diarrhea; however, use of oral rehydration solution is low among children with diarrhea under the age of 5 y in the Gambia. Higher maternal age and socioeconomic status are correlated with higher practice and KAP scores.