Diarrheal Disease Awareness Is Associated with Caregiver Handwashing with Soap in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (REDUCE Program).

ABSTRACT: Diarrhea is one of the leading causes of childhood illness and a major cause of infant and child mortality globally. In the Reducing Enteropathy, Undernutrition, and Contamination in the Environment (REDUCE) prospective cohort study, we investigated the association between diarrheal disease awareness and handwashing with soap among caregivers of children under 5 years of age. A total of 259 caregivers of children under 5 years of age in Walungu Territory, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), were administered an open-ended questionnaire assessing awareness of diarrheal disease transmission and prevention, and key times to wash hands with soap. An overall diarrhea awareness score was developed based on the responses to these items. Five-hour structured observation of handwash

SUBMITTER: Bisimwa L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9128694 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature