Skip Navigation

Journal of Tropical Pediatrics 1988 34(3):104-107; doi:10.1093/tropej/34.3.104
© 1988 by Oxford University Press
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by King, J.
Right arrow Articles by Bratt, D.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by King, J.
Right arrow Articles by Bratt, D.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

research-article

Socio-economic, Dietary, and Cultural Factors Associated with Diarrhoeal Disease in Trinidad and Tobago

J. King, BSc and D. Bratt, MPH, FAAP

Department of Child Health, Eastern Caribbean Medical Scheme, The University of the West Indies, Port of Spain General Hospital Trinidad

A survey was conducted in County Victoria South Trinidad, among mothers of children hospitalized with diarrhoea and matched controls (n = 30 for each group). Socio-economic, dietary, and knowledge attitude-practice factors relating to diarrhoea were investigated and anthropometrk measurements were taken.

Ten per cent of children of both groups were found to be below normal limits for weight for length (or height). Consistent trends were seen of lower birth weight, earlier introduction of the bottle, and fewer house-pipes among cases.

The most significant finding to emerge are that over half the mothers with held some or all food from the child during an episode of diarrhoea, and one-third also reduced fluid intake. Both practices need to be strongly discouraged.

Until socio-economic conditions in Trinidad and Tobago improve to the point where infectious illnesses decline spontaneously, as happened in Europe and North America, immediate measures are essential to protect the young child at risk of diarrhoeal disease.

It is suggested that priority be given to the following health education practices to both the public and medical profession.

  1. Protection: by strongly encouraging breast feeding and discouraging bottle feeding.
  2. Early treatment: provision of oral fluid-salt replacement therapy in the Community to prevent serious dehydration and quickly restore the child's appetite.


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.