Abstract: Background: Diarrhea remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children under five, especially in rural India. Despite the availability of effective interventions like Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS) and zinc supplementation, many caregivers lack knowledge of proper management.
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a structured teaching programme (PTP) on mothers’ knowledge regarding diarrheal management among under-five children in rural Gurugram, Haryana.
Methods: A quantitative research approach with a quasi-experimental one-group pre-test post-test design was adopted. A total of 100 mothers of under-five children from Kaliyawas village were selected using stratified proportionate random sampling. Data was collected using a self-structured knowledge questionnaire. The intervention comprised a 45-60-minute structured teaching programme in Hindi, supported by visual aids and handouts.
Results: Pre-test findings revealed that the majority of mothers (92%) had moderate knowledge, 8% had poor knowledge, and none had good knowledge regarding diarrheal management. The mean pre-test score was 10.65 (53.25%). Post-intervention, the mean score significantly improved to 14.29 (71.45%), with 18% achieving good knowledge and 82% remaining at a moderate level. No mothers scored in the poor category. The mean knowledge gain was 3.64, with a paired t-value of 30.073 (p<0.001). No significant association was found between mothers’ knowledge and demographic variables such as age, education, family type, occupation, income, water source, or dietary habits.
Conclusion: The structured teaching programme was effective in enhancing maternal knowledge of diarrheal management. Health education interventions targeting mothers can play a pivotal role in reducing diarrheal morbidity and mortality among under-five children in rural India.
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