ANALYSIS OF THE DETERMINANT FACTORS AFFECTING BEHAVIOR OF MOTHERS WHEN CARING FOR CHILDREN UNDER FIVE YEARS OF AGE WITH DIARRHEA (ORAL REHYDRATION).
Contributors: University of Pittsburgh.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 252
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Public Health.; Women's Studies.
Description: Diarrheal diseases affect an estimated 19% of children under the age of five years in Egypt. The mother's behaviors in response to symptoms of diarrhea in her child play an important role in determining the health outcome for the child, since the mother's intervention can prevent the development of severe dehydration. Despite the availability of effective measures which mothers can carry out, the child mortality due to diarrheal diseases is still high.

This study was designed to evaluate a conceptual framework developed to explain the mothers' outcome behaviors in terms of maternal factors, environmental factors, and the availability and utilization of health care services. Four outcome behaviors were examined: giving Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT), increasing or maintaining milk or other liquids, consulting health services personnel, and increasing or maintaining breastfeeding. Data were obtained from the Egypt Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS) which was developed by the worldwide Demographic Health Survey (DHS) program to collect health-related data on mothers and children. A total of 1064 Egyptian mothers whose youngest child suffered diarrhea within seven days of the interview were included in the study.

The following factors were independently associated with giving ORT: (a) rural residency, (b) having traditional toilet facilities, (c) the sick child being between one and two years of age, and (d) the sick child having mild or severe dehydration. The factors independently related to increasing or maintaining other liquids were: (a) using surface water for drinking, (b) having modern or traditional toilet facilities, and (c) the sick child being one year of age or older, and (d) the mother working. The following factors were independently associated with consulting health services: (a) living in an urban area, (b) more than 6 persons living in the household, (c) the father having a secondary education, (d) the sick child having severe diarrhea, (e) the sick child having mild or severe dehydration, (f) the mother not being pregnant at the time of the interview, and (g) not having a health card. Factors independently associated with increasing or maintaining breastfeeding were (a) using surface water for drinking, (b) taking 1 to 9 or more than 30 minutes to get to the source of water, (c) the sick child being the third or fourth child in the family, (d) the sick child never having been vaccinated, and (e) having a health card. The results of the study provide some support for the conceptual framework.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-04, Section: B, page: 1932.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH, 1994.

School code: 0178.