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Objective:

To assess the knowledge, attitude and practices regarding diarrhea among mothers of children less than 5 years of age in civil hospital Karachi.

Methodology:

It is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted at Pediatrics ward and OPD Civil HospitalKarachi during July-August 2011. Non-random Convenient sampling was adopted to sample 200 subjects by interviewing mothers after taking their consent. Mothers have at least one child less than 5 years of age were included.

Results:

Mothers' knowledge regarding the causes of diarrhea; contaminated water (17%), eating mud (14%), teething (10%). About signs of dehydration, 40% mothers gave unspecific signs and 26% responded with sunken eye as the only sign while 35% answered two signs (thirst and dry hair/skin). Mothers who knew how to prepare ORS were 80%. Regarding prevention of diarrhea, 15.5% mothers knew to cover food and 14.5% to boil water. Regarding health care seeking practices 52.5% mothers took the child to the doctor after 2 days, 30% mothers did self-medication.

Conclusion:

There is inadequate maternal knowledge; attitude and practices regarding diarrhea and its prevention in the population studied. There is need of health education to mothers about diarrhea, its causes prevention and proper treatment.