Knowledge, attitude and practice of private and governmental physicians in Zagazig in relation to diarrheal cases management

ABSTRACT

This study was performed to clarify the knowledge, attitude and practice of physicians about the different aspects of diarrheal cases management and to make benefit from oral rehydration therapy. The study included 204 physicians, 80% of them are working in urban areas in Zagzaig and 75% of those urban physicians received previous training courses on oral rehydration therapy[ORT]. The study reveated that 57% of physicians had high level of knowledge about ORT, 40% know the right indications of use of nasogastric tube and intravenous therapy. 37% of physicians had positive attitude towards treatment of dehydration by ORT. Urban physicians had higher attitude than rural physicians. As for feeding with rehydration, 70% of urban physicians recommended that scheme, while 40% only of rural physicians had the same attitude. In practice, 43% physicians did not use ORS in treatment of diarrhea. 4.9% use it alone and the rest use ORS with other medications. The causes of ORD limitations of use might be due to lack of knowledge, and training or confidence among doctors and mothers to use it alone