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Table 2 Mothers’ beliefs about diarrhea and its management (n = 20)

From: Mothers’ beliefs and barriers about childhood diarrhea and its management in Morang district, Nepal

Themes

Examples

Number

Percentage

Causes of diarrhea*

Dirt and lack of cleanliness

18

90

Disposal of stool near home in open air

6

30

Change in weather

3

15

Carelessness of mother

2

10

Traditional/supernatural

3

15

The most dangerous diarrhea

Thin watery stool

16

80

Red stool

3

15

Green stool

1

5

Management*

Oral rehydration solution

15

75

Salt sugar water solution

12

60

Traditional

3

15

Beneficial foods/fluids*

Home available foods/fluids

17

85

Mother’s breast milk

12

60

Green leafy vegetables

6

30

Potato boiled in cow’s milk

3

15

Harmful foods/fluids*

Spicy and oily foods/fluids

19

95

Stale/rotten foods/fluids

16

80

Hard foods/fluids

8

40

Cold foods/fluids

4

20

Beliefs toward prevention or management of diarrhea*

Modern biomedical

18

90

Traditional

1

5

Modern plus traditional

3

15

Barriers toward prevention or management of diarrhea*

Financial weakness

15

75

Lack of awareness

16

80

Lack of place for defecation

9

45

Distance of water source

6

30

Distance of healthcare facilities

8

40

  1. * The participants may have one or more views, thus the aggregate percentage may be more than 100%.