A Study Of Acute Diarrhoeal Disease In Children Under Five To Determine The Feasibiliy Of Distribubuting Oral Rehydration Salts (unicef Packets) And Health Education Through Organized Women's Groups In Urban Kisumu, In Western Kenya

Abstract

199 women belonging to 9 women's groups and 194 control women were studied in Urban Kisumu between April and September 1985. The history structure and social functioning of the womens' groups is fully described . Their socio-economic status and knowledge, attitudes and practices (K.A.P.) concerning acute diarrhoeal diseases in children under 5 years were determined by questionnaire. The results showed that on average, both economic status and educational status were higher among the controls than among the study group. Morbidity, prior to the study, due to acute diarrhoea was however higher in the control than the study group. Apart from these variables, the study and control groups were markedly similar. In the K.A.P. study) the responses were generally more favourable in the control than in the study group, though both groups showed aeceptable responses as regards acute diarrhoeal diseases in children. The K.A.P. in the study group improved markedly two months after the study women were given detailed sessions of Health Education by the Principal Investigator. Following the health educatlon, oral rehydratlon therapy (O.R.T.) was provided through the women group leaders, to those study

group women who needed it for their children. Although a significantly higher rate of morbidity due to dehydration from acute diarrhoea in children under 5 years was recorded in the study compared with the control group, this was probably attributable to a difference in surveillance methods. The rate of seeking medical help from hospital was higher in the control than the study group. In addition, the average duration of acute diarrhoea was longer in the control group. The organization and infrastructure of established women's groups make them ideal vehicles for O.R.T. popularization among women not only in Kisumu but in Kenya as a whole.