title: Awareness of oral rehydration at well-baby clinics in Johannesburg.
abstract: A questionnaire regarding knowledge about oral rehydration therapy (ORT) was administered to 1087 adults bringing Asian, black, coloured and white children to under-5 clinics in Johannesburg. Although 54% had heard about ORT, misconceptions existed in this group and half thought that ORT stops diarrhoea. There were no significant differences in awareness of ORT between the different population groups. Awareness increased with age of the child, the birth order of the child and the educational level of the adult. These three factors were associated with statistically significant differences in awareness. Of these, educational level was the most important. The main first source of information about ORT was clinic sisters (54%), although when a child has diarrhoea a doctor is most commonly consulted (43%). Less-educated mothers of newborn first children appear to be in most need of health education, and recommendations to involve this group and health professionals in Johannesburg are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Johannesburg City Health Department.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Barron
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D044383:Black People; D003968:Diarrhea, Infantile / Q000628:therapy*; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D007223:Infant; D013019:South Africa; D044465:White People