EFFECTIVENESS OF COMMUNITY-BASED INTERVENTIONS ON INCREASING AWARENESS AND USE OF ORS BY MOTHERS FOR CHILDREN IMPACTED BY DIARRHEA

 Abstract

Diarrhea is a major cause of illness and death in children, especially in low- and middle-income areas of Pakistan. Oral rehydration solution (ORS) is a low-cost treatment, but its use remains low. Oral Rehydration Solution(ORS)is a simple and cost-effective treatment for diarrhea and it can save lives

Objective 

Our research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of community-based interventions in increasing mothers' awareness and use of ORS to treat diarrhea in children. We aim to identify barriers and factors that contribute to intervention success or failure, providing recommendations for improving community-based interventions. Our research can inform the development and implementation of effective interventions promoting ORS use in communities, improving child health outcomes.

Methodology

Our research used a quasi-experimental design with 300 mothers (150 in intervention and control groups) selected via stratified random sampling. An ORS awareness and education program was delivered to the intervention group. Data was collected using surveys, checklists, and interviews, analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics for insights into intervention effectiveness.

Results 

The ORS awareness and education program significantly improved mothers' knowledge and use of ORS in the intervention group, with the proportion of mothers who knew about ORS increasing from 51% to 93% and those who used it to treat diarrhea increasing from 39% to 79%. In contrast, little change was observed in the control group. These findings suggest that community-based interventions focusing on ORS education can be effective in improving maternal knowledge and use of ORS in treating diarrhea in children.

Conclusion 

Overall, the results of the study firmly indicated that communitybased interventions can be effective in increasing awareness and use of ORS by mothers for children impacted by diarrhea. Such interventions should focus on education and awareness about the benefits of ORS, and should involve the active participation of community health workers. By increasing the use of ORS for the treatment of diarrhea, it may be possible to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with this condition, particularly in resourceconstrained settings like rural areas where access to other forms of medical treatment may be limited.