Use of oral rehydration therapy for management of children under five years with Diarrhea Ratchaburi Province, Thailand

Abstract

Cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of oral rehydration therapy (ORT) use by caregivers for children under five years with diarrhea before seeking care at public hospitals and its associated factors.254 caregivers who brought their children under five years with diarrhea seeking care at four main general hospitals in Ratchaburi Province, Thailand were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. The prevalence of ORT use for children under five years with diarrhea was performed. Bivariate analysis was performed for 12 variables and associated factors for ORT use.The prevalence of ORT use for children under five years with diarrhea was 47.2%. Bivariate analysis revealed 12 variables were significantly associated with ORT use: caregivers with high school and above education, being government employee/others occupation, having average family income ≥8,000 baht/ month, knowing that diarrhea can be transmitted by drinking spoiled milk, unboiled water, no hand washing, dry lips in signs of dehydration, continuing breast feeding while the child got diarrhea, high perceived susceptibility, severity, low perceived barriers of ORT and having heard about ORT information. Continued interventions to increasing caregivers’ proper knowledge of diarrhea and use of ORT among poor and low educated caregivers are needed.