MATERNAL KNOWLEDGE ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF PREVENTING DIARRHEA AMONG CHILDREN UNDER FIVE IN MIGRANTS IN MAE SOT DISTRICT TAK PROVINCE THAILAND

Abstract

This research was a survey with the objectives to study the factors influencing the maternal practice of Diarrhea prevention in their under five children, Mae Sot, Tak province, Thailand. Data collection was between March to April 2014. The total 112 samples were both illegal and legal migrants living in Hua Fai village, Phatadpadaeng sub-district, Mae Sot District. The research tool was an interview form in 4 parts. The overall reliability value was 0.87. Statistics in use by IBM SPSS version 20 were frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation and chi-square test. The results revealed that most of the respondents were mothers aged between 19-48 years old (46.4%). They were married (91.1%), Burma (82%), did not have work permit (78.6%), finished primary school (46.4%), and were housewives (72.3%). Average number of their family was 3. Average income was 5030 bath monthly. Respondents were chosen if they had a diarrhea history in the past two months. Most of the respondents had longer duration of stay in Thailand over two years (89.3%). The respondents had their knowledge level on prevention of diarrhea for 85.7% (good level), had their attitude level on prevention of diarrhea for 87.5% (intermediate level) and their practice on prevention of diarrhea for 61.6% (intermediate level). Demographic characteristics which were found to be significant with the practice of prevention of diarrhea were ethnicity (P=0.037), Marital Status (P=0.001), educational status (P=0.008) and enough income (P=0.012). The Spearman’s correlation test was used to investigate the relationship between the demographic variables, knowledge, attitude and practice of diarrhea prevention. There were weak positive correlations between knowledge and prevention practice of diarrhea as well as between attitude and prevention practice of diarrhea. The findings of the study indicate that if people are supported with sufficient knowledge through various channels, they will come to have good practice in preventing diarrhea in children under five years.