Table 2.
Mothers’ beliefs about diarrhea and its management (n = 20)
| Themes | Examples | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causes of diarrhea* |
Dirt and lack of cleanliness |
18 |
90 |
| Disposal of stool near home in open air |
6 |
30 |
|
| Change in weather |
3 |
15 |
|
| Carelessness of mother |
2 |
10 |
|
| Traditional/supernatural |
3 |
15 |
|
| The most dangerous diarrhea |
Thin watery stool |
16 |
80 |
| Red stool |
3 |
15 |
|
| Green stool |
1 |
5 |
|
| Management* |
Oral rehydration solution |
15 |
75 |
| Salt sugar water solution |
12 |
60 |
|
| Traditional |
3 |
15 |
|
| Beneficial foods/fluids* |
Home available foods/fluids |
17 |
85 |
| Mother’s breast milk |
12 |
60 |
|
| Green leafy vegetables |
6 |
30 |
|
| Potato boiled in cow’s milk |
3 |
15 |
|
| Harmful foods/fluids* |
Spicy and oily foods/fluids |
19 |
95 |
| Stale/rotten foods/fluids |
16 |
80 |
|
| Hard foods/fluids |
8 |
40 |
|
| Cold foods/fluids |
4 |
20 |
|
| Beliefs toward prevention or management of diarrhea* |
Modern biomedical |
18 |
90 |
| Traditional |
1 |
5 |
|
| Modern plus traditional |
3 |
15 |
|
| Barriers toward prevention or management of diarrhea* | Financial weakness |
15 |
75 |
| Lack of awareness |
16 |
80 |
|
| Lack of place for defecation |
9 |
45 |
|
| Distance of water source |
6 |
30 |
|
| Distance of healthcare facilities | 8 | 40 |
* The participants may have one or more views, thus the aggregate percentage may be more than 100%.