Teaching ORT to women: individually or in groups?
Chowdhury, A.M.; Karim, F.; Ahmed, J.
Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 91(6): 283-287
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-5304 PMID: 3204644 Document Number: 360985
The cost of training, usage of oral rehydration solution (ORS) in actual diarrhea, knowledge of the 7-point message and salt content of ORS prepared by mothers were compared when the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee trained mothers individually or in groups of 5. The field costs of training were Taka 8.51/mother in groups, compared to Taka 15.34 individually. 2500 households were interviewed in the 2 townships 1 year later to evaluate the 2 teaching methods. Mothers' usage of ORS during the previous 2 weeks averaged 4.1% of all diarrhea episodes by group-taught, and 4.5% by individually-taught, or 3/7 incidents of severe diarrhea by group-taught, and 3/11 incidents of severe diarrhea by individually-taught women (n.s.). When mothers were tested on knowledge of the 7 points, their average scores were 7.7 and 8.0 (n.s.). The salt concentrations of samples of prepared ORS, analyzed by chloride, were 60.5 and 55.6 mmol/liter (n.s.). Thus, the group teaching method is as effective, and less expensive to administer than the individual teaching method.