ABSTRACT
A study was conducted in a rural community in Burma, to determine how people perceive the importance of food, water and defecation in the causation of diarrhoea and to determine whether people wash hands or use soap after defecation or before preparing and eating food. 90% of mothers with under-five children in the community were interviewed. 53 to 86% of people were aware of the importance of food, water and defecation in the causation of diarrhoea. Although 34 to 88% practised hand washing before eating/food handling or after defecation, only 5 to 12% regularly used soap. Furthermore, drinking water for under-five children was obtained by dipping the drinking mug or cup into the drinking water pot (83%) which could result in contamination of drinking water.