RESUMO
PIP: In India, 76 of 290 children (26.2%) under five admitted to the pediatric wards of Command Hospital Pune during April-October 1986 suffered from various diarrheal diseases. Boys were more likely to be afflicted with a diarrheal disease than girls (63.16% vs. 36.84%). Health workers made home visits after hospital discharge. Diarrheal illness was more frequent among the lower socioeconomic classes than the upper classes (65.81% for social class III and 22.37% for social class IV vs. 3.94-7.88 for social classes I-II; p 0.001). The incidence of diarrhea was inversely proportional to maternal literacy status (42.1% for illiteracy, 32.89% for primary school, 10.53% for middle school, 9.21% for secondary school, and 5.27% for higher education). A family size of no more than 4 was associated with a higher incidence of diarrhea than larger family sizes (72.36% vs. 25% for 5-6; 2.64% for 6; p 0.05). Yet, diarrhea was more common in overcrowded households than in non-crowded households (73.68% vs. 26.32%; p 0.05). The most common signs and symptoms in children with diarrheal diseases were dehydration (78.95%), fever (75%), and vomiting (73.68%). Children younger than 24 months who were exclusively breast fed made up a smaller proportion of diarrhea cases than their counterparts who were not exclusively breast fed (20.75% vs. 79.25%). Most diarrheal disease cases (67-92%) suffered from various grades of malnutrition. Laboratory personnel isolated pathogenic organisms from only 36.84% of cases. The most common pathogens were Ascaris lumbricoides (10.54% of all cases), Giardia lamblia (7.89%), and Campylobacter jejuni (5.26%). 50% of mothers did not know anything about oral rehydration therapy (ORT). Of the mothers who did know about it, only 26.32% were using ORT. These findings highlight the great need for health education on ORT for mothers.^ieng