16. Abu Hijleh, S.M. Mothers' Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Regarding Diarrhoea Management in Al- Jib Village in Palestine. Submitted to The Faculty of Nursing, University of Jordan in partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the post Graduate Diploma in Maternal and Child Health, 1993, 56 pp.
A study conducted in the village of Al-Jib in the Ramallah district to investigate the knowledge, attitudes and practices of Palestinian mothers regarding causes and management of diarrhea. The sample comprised 30 randomly selected households. Mothers having children five years of age or less and had diarrhea at least once since birth were interviewed.
Main findings include:
- 87% of mothers believe that teething, extreme climate, hygiene practices and bottle-feeding are the main causes of diarrhea.
- 60% of mothers wash their hands using soap every time after defecation, 10% wash their hands every time before breast feeding, 6.6% wash the bottle every time before use.
- 80% of mothers consider their child having diarrhea when s/he passes both watery and loose stools more than five times a day.
- 80% of mothers manage diarrhea at home.
- In case of treatment at home, 46.7% of mothers use rice water with salt, 16.6% use fried potatoes, 13.3% use traditional herbs, 13.3% use yogurt, 13.3% use gaseous beverages, 10% use lemon and sugar, 10% use weak tea, 3.3% use water in which some barley is soaked and 1.6% use starch with water.
- None of the mothers prepare oral dehydration solutions (ORS) in a satisfactory manner. ( Satisfactory is not defined)
- 70% of the mothers learnt about ORS from television and radio and 30% learnt about it from a health worker.
- All mothers use drugs as treatment for diarrhea only if recommended by a doctor.
- 63% of mothers obtained information about diarrhea from a health worker.
- Observations at home showed that none of the mothers wash their hands before preparing a meal or ORS, all the mothers use handkerchiefs to wipe the child's nose or eyes, 36.7% cover food to protect it from flies or dust, 37% of the mothers boil the bottle before use and only 40% of mothers keep their breasts clean before breast feedingThe author recommends launching a health education program for mothers on management of diarrhea at home.