title: Home-based management of acute diarrhoeal disease in an urban slum of Aligarh, India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diarrhoea is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Most deaths are caused by dehydration and are easily preventable by using oral rehydration therapy. Early management and recognition of danger signs are key strategies in treating diarrhoeal diseases at home. This study assessed the knowledge and health-care seeking behaviour of families regarding diarrhoeal illness in children aged under five years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was undertaken during June and July 2009 in an urban slum of Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. Mothers of children (n = 101) suffering from diarrhoea with at least one episode in the last two weeks prior to the interview were included. Information was gathered on a predesigned and pretested questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall prevalence of diarrhoea in children under five was 36%. Life-threatening symptoms which the mothers knew were watery stool (85%) and repeated vomiting (54%). Two thirds (69%) of the mothers continued breastfeeding their children during the episode, while the remaining either withheld or interrupted breastfeeding. The majority visited a nearby unsanctioned health practitioner. Less than half (46.5%) of the mothers knew about oral rehydration salt solution and only 29.8% of those knew the correct method of preparation. Only 38.7% of the respondents knew about suitable fluids available at home, out of which salt sugar solution was the choice in most cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study highlights that the mothers' knowledge is not adequate. Educating mothers and caretakers regarding early home-based case management of childhood diarrhoea may substantially decrease morbidity and mortality due to diarrhoea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, (UP), India. salmanshah123@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mohammad Salman
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Anees
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.forename: Najam
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Khalique
authors.forename: Suboohi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Afzal
authors.forename: Mohammad Athar
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.forename: Zulfia
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005440:Fluid Therapy / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011204:Poverty Areas; D015995:Prevalence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014505:Urban Population