Mothers with underfive children's knowledge and practices towards diarrhoea in Isoka district, Zambia.

Abstract

The study was conducted in Isoka district at four health centres. The purpose of the study aimed at determining the mothers' Knowledge and practices related to diarrhoea and find out the parameters used by mothers in deciding whether to bring their children with diarrhoea to the health centre or not. Literature review was based on traditional beliefs and practices regarding causes and treatment of diarrhoea in Zambia and other countries and on child rearing practices. A pilot study was conducted at one of the health centres to test the research tools. The study combined mothers from the medium and low education groups in that area with under five children. Isoka had been chosen because it was of more rural area and where traditional customs and beliefs are practiced. This was also important because the study was conducted within a limited period of time. The findings revealed that most (75%) mothers both young and old had a good understanding of what diarrhoea is and they knew some form of traditional beliefs and practices related to the causes of the condition in children. Most mothers gave their children some traditional medicine before they took them to the health centres and some of them knew how those medicines were prepared and their effects on diarrhoea.