MOTHERS’/CAREGIVERS’KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE OF HOME MANAGEMENT OF DIARRHEA IN UNDER-5 CHILDREN AND THEIR HEALTH SEEKING BEHAVIOR IN DEGAHBUR DISTRICT, EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Diarrhea is the passage of loose or watery stools occurring three or more times in 24-hours over several days affecting the body fluid balance and threatening survival. The commonly recommended home management of diarrhea is the use of oral rehydration therapy. Research on mothers’/caregivers’ knowledge and practice of home management of diarrhea in under-5 children and their health care seeking behavior is scanty in Somali region. Objective: - To assess mothers’/caregivers’ knowledge and practice of home management of diarrhea in under-5 children and their health care seeking behavior in Degahbur district, Eastern Ethiopia. Methods and materials: The study was conducted in Degahbur district, Somali region Eastern Ethiopia. A community based cross sectional quantitative study was conducted. The sample size of study was 580 households selected using systematic sampling technique. In each selected household only one mother/caregiver with index child was selected. The data was collected using a pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS 20. Summary statistics was conducted to describe the data. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were also conducted to measure the association between the outcome and predictor variables. On the bivariate analysis, variables with p value ≤0.25 were further considered in the multivariable analysis to verify the associations. Result: - Total of 580 respondents were participated with a response rate of 100%. Majority of the respondents had poor knowledge (60%), poor practice (57 %) on home management of diarrhea and not sought health care (55%) for their under-five children with diarrhea respectively. The knowledge of the mothers/caregivers was significantly associated with educational status whilst the practice of the mothers was significantly associated with family size and occupational status. The mothers’/caregivers’ health care seeking behavior for under five children with diarrhea was significantly associated with age and occupational status of the mothers/caregivers. Conclusion To improve the mothers’/caregivers’ knowledge and practices of home management of diarrhea, mothers should be empowered through expansion of women’s education and sustainable job creation for those mothers/caregivers who had no income generating job