Perception of parents on childhood diarrhoea and its co-relation with their knowledge score

Abstract

Background: Diarrhoea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, accounting for four million deaths in children. Most of these deaths are due to dehydration and preventable through oral rehydration therapy. Factors like illiteracy, poverty, social misbeliefs, taboos, cultural practices and lack of proper knowledge on diarrhoeal diseases contribute to persistence of diarrhoea in the community. Rural people are significantly less aware than their urban counterparts regarding value of hand washing, cleanliness, latrine for night soil disposal, storage of water in preventing diarrhoea.Aims and objectives of this study was to assess the knowledge and perception regarding diarrhoeal diseases among parents of the paediatric patients and its co-relation with the knowledge score in a rural teaching hospital.Methods: It was a prospective observational study. Data collected from a preformed pre-validated questionnaire administered to the parents of Pediatrics patients by face to face interviews in local language. Study population was 250 and Chi square test was applied for the statistical analysis.Results: Significant association of education level and socio-economic class with knowledge score has been seen. The awareness of ORS has been seen to increase with the higher-level socio-economic class and education level and the difference was statistically significant.Conclusions: Improving parents’ knowledge and awareness while incorporating existing perceptions might lead to positive changes.