Caregiver perceptions and utilization of oral rehydration solution and other treatments for diarrhea among young children in Burkina Faso

Abstract

BackgroundMore than 500 000 young children die from dehydration caused by severe diarrhea each year, globally. Although routine use of oral rehydration solution (ORS) could prevent almost all of these deaths, ORS utilization remains low in many low–income countries. Previous research has suggested that misperceptions among caregivers may be an obstacle to wider use of ORS.MethodsTo better understand the extent of ORS utilization and the reasons for use or non–use in low–resource settings, the project team conducted a semi–structured, quantitative survey of 400 caregivers in Burkina Faso in 2014. All caregivers had a child below the age of five who had diarrhea lasting 2 days or more in the previous 2 months.ResultsAlthough more than 80% of caregivers were aware of ORS, less than half reported using it to treat their child’s diarrhea. Replacing fluids lost due to diarrhea was considered a low priority by most caregivers, and many said they considered antibiotics more effective for treating diarrhea. Users and non–users of ORS held substantially different perceptions of the product, though all caregivers tended to follow recommendations of health care workers. A significant proportion of users reported difficulty in getting a child to drink ORS. Costs and access to ORS were not found to be significant barriers to use.ConclusionsMisperceptions among caregivers and health workers contribute to low utilization of ORS. Better caregiver understanding of diarrheal disease and the importance of rehydration, as well as increased recommendation by health workers, will help to increase ORS utilization. Improving product presentation and taste will also help to increase use.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mothers on the use of oral rehydration salts in children with diarrhoea: a cross‐sectional survey in Malaysia

“…Studies have demonstrated that with appropriate education and early introduction of zinc supplementation, the use of anti-diarrhoeal drugs and antibiotics will decrease. [17][18][19][20] While the prevalence of diarrhoea in Malaysia is not high (4.4%), a recent study demonstrates that diarrhoea prevalence among children less than 5 years has not shown any improvement in the past 10 years. 21 Hence, efforts are required to increase the literacy level regarding the management of diarrhoea, and this may contribute to the reduction in the prevalence of diarrhoea in Malaysia.…”

Strong community-based health systems and national governance predict improvement in coverage of oral rehydration solution (ORS): a multilevel longitudinal model

“…care [13][14][15]; and, (4) education among medical professionals and/or caregivers [9,10,13,[17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25]. Although the studies identify predictors of ORS use across several countries, generalizable knowledge about the predictors of ORS use globally is limited, and systematic literature reviews have highlighted this gap in knowledge [3,13,14].…”

Level of knowledge of mothers (18-35 years of age) of under 5 children regarding ORS therapy

“…Less than half reported using it to treat their Child's diarrhea. Users and non-users of ORS held substantially of different perception of the product, though all caregivers tend to follow the recommendation of healthcare worker,[ 13 ] Choudhary et al . (2014) conducted a descriptive cross-sectional study using structured questionnaires to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding diarrheal illness, its prevention, and management in mothers of under 5 children.…”