The Effect of Health Education on Case Management of Acute Respiratory Illnesses among Mothers or Other Care - Givers of under Five Children in Sululta Awraja
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Date
1991-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This s tudy on the effect of health education on case
management of acute respiratory illness (ARI) among
mothers or other care givers of under five children was
done in Sululta Awraja which is one of the rural
districts of Addis Ababa Administrative Region in the
central part of Ethiopia. The aim of the study was to
determine the incidence of ARI and to compare the
knowledge, beliefs, attitudes and practices of mothers of
under five children before and after an intervention of
acute respiratory illness (ARI) specific and general
health education.
540 households were selected randomly from three
Farmers'Associations which are found within five
kilometres radius of a health center . Mothers or other
care-givers were interviewed about their knowledge,
attitude, beliefs and practices. One week after the
baseline survey ARI specific health education was
conducted in one Farmers' Association, general health
education was given in the second community and no health
education in the control Farmers' Association. The
intervention and the control communities were selected
randomly. The health education was given monthly for four
months. Fortnightly visits to both intervention
communities were carried out to determine incidence. At
the end of the four months maternal knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices were assessed by questionnaire.
Practice was verified with health institution records.
The study showed that the incidence of ARI and acute
lower respiratory illnesses episodes were 13.9 and 7.4/
100 children /four months. The occurrence of ARI was two
times higher in children under one year of age as
compared to children 1-4 years. The percent change in
maternal knowledge, attitude, beliefs and practice after
ARI specific health education was 30.4%, 51.9%, -.75% and
68% respectively. The percent change in maternal
knowledge, attitudes, practices and beliefs after general
health education intervention were -33.4%,66.3%,64% and
-5.2% respectively. 75% of the Mothers or other caregivers
of under five children from the ARI specific
health education communities brought their sick children
with ARI to the health center as compared to only 30.7%
from the general health education intervention community.
No change was observed on the knowledge,
attitudes, practices and beliefs of mothers or other caregivers
of under fives in the control community.
The study showed that ARI is common in under five
children and the risk of ARI is much higher in under one
children. The study also showed ARI specific health
education is effective in changing the knowledge,
attitudes and practices of care-givers and general health
education is effective in changing attitudes.
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Keywords
Health Education on Case Management