PREVENTION AND TREATMENT RESPONSIVENESS OF CAREGIVERS OF UNDER-5 YEAR OLDS, TOWARDS DIARRHEA ILLNESS, IN DAYCARE CENTERS, IN ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
Diarrhea is a deadly disease affecting both young and old, however causing high morbidity and mortality in children under the age of five years around the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, with a recorded high prevalence among children who attend daycare centers. In Ogun State, diarrhea prevalence among children under age five was reported at 10.3%, the highest compared to other South-Western states in Nigeria. This main objective of this study was to assess the Prevention and Treatment Responsiveness of Caregivers of under-5 year olds, towards Diarrhea Illness, in Daycare Centers, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria
Descriptive cross-sectional design was used in this study. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 60 daycare centers within Abeokuta South LGA, Ogun State, from which questionnaires were administered to 406 caregivers. The data obtained from validated questionnaires were collated and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21.0. Correlation, Regression, ANOVA and Cronbach’s Alpha test were the analyses that were done for hypotheses testing and variable calculation.
The findings revealed that the level of knowledge of respondents was low 5.49±1.69 (36.62%) on a 15-point rating scale, attitude was average12.13±3.98 (67.37%) on an 18-point rating scale, perception was low9.77±2.84 (40.71%) on a 24-point rating scale, prevention and treatment responsiveness was low13.75±3.64 (45.83%) on a 30-point rating scale. Using regression analysis, the study showed that there was a significant relationship between the daycare center benefits/constraints (monthly salary) and responsiveness towards diarrhea illness among the respondents in this study (R2 = 0.028; p<0.05), there was a significant relationship between the level of knowledge and responsiveness towards diarrhea illness among the respondents in this study (R2 = 0.22; p<0.05), and also thatthere was a significant relationship between the perception and responsiveness towards diarrhea illness among the respondents in this study (R2 = 0.125; p<0.05). However, from the analysis, level of knowledge of the respondents was the most significant predictor of responsiveness at 22% compared to perception at 12.5% and daycare center benefits/constraints (monthly salary) at 2.8%.
This study concluded that the level of knowledge of the caregivers about diarrhea was the most significant predictor of responsiveness compared to perception and daycare center benefits and constraints (monthly salary). It is therefore recommended that public health interventions should be targeted at daycare centers. Interventions should also be designed as health education and promotion training modules, spanning across effective childcare topics. Caregivers should then be routinely trained by daycare center administrators and overseeing government authorities, to improve their knowledge about diarrhea/other infectious diseases, and their overall responsiveness to illness.
Keywords: Diarrhea, Daycare Center, Caregivers, Responsiveness, Under-5 year olds