Assessment Of Knowledge On Risk Factor For The Occurrence And Strategies For The Prevention Of Diarrhea Among Children Aged 2-10 Years In Uso Community, Owo Local Government

Diarrhoea is among the major causes of mortality among children aged 2-10 years of age. Majority of these deaths are as result of dehydration and mismanagement. This study aimed to investigate prevalence of diarrhea among children aged 2-10 years. The objectives of the study were to: determine prevalence rate of diarrhoea,  knowledge on diarrhoea, practices on management of diarrhoea, and the association between knowledge and practices in management of diarrhoea. 

Failure of caregiver to have the knowledge in identification of four critical times of handwashing increases chances of having a child suffering from diarrhoea by 4.16 times and those who reported unsafe drinking water is a predisposing factor, their child is 0.98(p= 0.0031,95% C.I 0.77-1.096) times less likely to suffer from diarrhoea. Caregivers who gave ORS and Zinc reduced progression of diarrhoea by 49% and 17.8% respectively and those introduced complementary feeding before age of 6 months were 27% times more likely of getting diarrhoea than the one who did after 6 months. The study recommends the Ministry of health to formulate programs that would help to address diarrhoeal disease (DD) among the children aged between 6 and 59 months to help educate mothers on identification of signs and symptoms, causes, preventive measures and management practices of diarrhoea.