A Comparative Study to Assess the Knowledge on Prevention of Selected Waterborne Diseases Among Mothers of Under Five Children at Selected Rural and Urban Areas, Belagavi with a View to Develop Information Booklet

Abstract

Background: Due to inadequate sanitation and contaminated drinking water, waterborne illnesses are a serious health concern, particularly for children under five. Mothers are crucial in preventing these illnesses by practicing good cleanliness and care. However, due to variations in health awareness, education, and resources, knowledge levels may fluctuate across rural and urban communities. Increased awareness can result from a lack of awareness. Child mortality and disease can rise as a result of ignorance. Planning effective health education requires an understanding of these differences. The purpose of this study is to evaluate and contrast mothers' knowledge on preventing waterborne illnesses in rural and urban areas. An information brochure will be created to raise awareness and encourage healthy habits, and the results will aid in identifying knowledge gaps. Methodology: Mothers of children under five in particular urban and rural districts of Belagavi participated in comparative descriptive research. Non-probability purposive sampling was used to choose the sample. The study employed a comparative descriptive research design. Structured knowledge questions were used to gather data. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: The study's overall findings showed how mothers of children under five in particular rural and urban districts of Belagavi distributed their level of knowledge about certain waterborne illnesses. In the rural test, 4 (8%) had good knowledge, 6 (12%) had ordinary knowledge, 34 (68%) had low knowledge, and 6 (12%) had very poor knowledge. Regarding specific waterborne illnesses, the majority of participants in the urban test 33 (66%) had average knowledge, 7 (14%) had good knowledge, 8 (16%) had bad knowledge, and 2 (4%) had very low knowledge. Conclusion: According to the study's findings, mothers of children under five have a better understanding of certain aquatic illnesses. was only adequate; thus, it should be addressed by an information pamphlet to raise awareness among mothers of less than five children on the avoidance of specific waterborne diseases.