title: Knowledge, attitudes and practices of mothers and health workers in relation to the use of sugar and salt solution in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe.
abstract: A study was carried out (March-April 1992) in the rural, urban and farming areas of Masvingo Province in Zimbabwe to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices of mothers and health workers on the use of sugar-salt solution. Twenty mothers from each area were also asked to prepare sugar-salt solution and the solutions were analysed for sodium and sucrose content. A total of 257 mothers out of 300 knew of the sugar-salt solution. Of these 58 pc from rural, 40 pc from urban and 63 pc from farming areas, said that they gave sugar-salt solution as the first line of action in managing diarrhoea. Mothers were not exactly sure of the amounts of sugar-salt solution to give the child with diarrhoea. Responses ranged from a mere three teaspoons per day, to cupfuls and bottle capfuls although the majority (60 pc from rural areas, 72 pc from urban areas and 77 pc from farming areas) claimed that they gave the whole 750ml bottle of the solution per day. The commonest response on the frequency of administering the SSS was "after every loose stool" which was mentioned by 30 pc of the mothers in the rural areas, 35 pc in the urban areas and 54 pc in the farming areas. Recall of the standard method of preparation of sugar-salt solution was good for the majority of mothers in all the three areas but the mean sodium concentration of the solutions prepared by mothers in the rural, urban and farming areas were 20.56 mmol/litre, 19.76 mmol/litre and 39.62 mmol/litre respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Blair Research Institute, Causeway, Harare, Zimbabwe.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nyatoti
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Nyati
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mtero
mesh_terms: D003150:Community Health Workers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology; D015532:Rehydration Solutions / Q000737:chemistry*; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000032:analysis*; D013395:Sucrose / Q000032:analysis*; D015030:Zimbabwe
chemical_list: D015532:Rehydration Solutions; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D013395:Sucrose