Chapter 1

Introduction

Background of the Study

Each year, acute gastroenteritis kills millions of young children, primarily in

developing nations. It is a prevalent reason for presentation to general practitioners or

emergency departments and hospitalization in developed nations.

One of the many issues emerging in their community nowadays is the increasing

number of children being hospitalized due to acute gastroenteritis. Each year, millions of

young children die from acute gastroenteritis, primarily in developing nations. In

developed nations, it is a common reason for visits to general practitioners or emergency

departments and hospitalization.

It is a common childhood disease. Children in developing countries are particular at risk

of both morbidity and mortality. AGE is a common infectious disease syndrome, causing

a combination of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. The Centers for

Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate there are more than 350 million cases of

acute gastroenteritis in the United States annually, and 48 million of these cases are

caused by foodborne bacteria (Graves, 2013).

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 According to Gilberto Rivera-Dominguez and Rebecca Ward (2022),

gastroenteritis in the pediatric population is a very common condition that accounts for

around 10 percent of pediatric deaths and is the second cause of death worldwide.

Rotavirus causes a particularly severe dehydrating gastroenteritis that affects

young children. The severity of the infection is made worse by malnourishment, making

rotavirus a significant cause of mortality in children worldwide, responsible for

approximately 500,000 deaths annually.

Pediatric acute gastroenteritis remains an important clinical illness commonly

encountered by family physicians. Its attendant problems of vomiting, diarrhea and

dehydration continue to present significant risks to children and are responsible for

considerable health care expenditures.

In barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan, many children had been hospitalized

due to vomiting and diarrhea. It causes fever, abdominal pain, lack of energy and

dehydration to the children. Parents should be aware of acute gastroenteritis as a common

and costly clinical problem in children. It is a largely self-limited disease with many

etiologies. Children being naturally curious tends to consume specks of dirt through

playing which can cause acute gastroenteritis.

Since, most of the children had been hospitalized due to vomiting and diarrhea in

barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan, a study on the Factors that Influence Mothers'

Preventive Practices Against Acute Gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan,

Aklan conducted.

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Statement of the Problem

This study determined the factors that influence the preventive practices against

acute gastroenteritis among the selected respondents.

Specifically, this study aimed to find answer the following questions:

1. . What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

a) Age;

b) Number of children;

c) Educational attainment;

d) Family monthly income?

2. What are the factors that influence the mothers’ preventive practices against acute

gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan in terms of;

a.) Knowledge

b.) Attitude

c.) Beliefs

3. What are the mother’s preventive practices against acute gastroenteritis of

Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan as categorized into;

a.) Always Practiced

b.) Often Practiced

c.) Sometimes Practiced

d.) Rarely Practiced

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 e.) Never Practiced

4. Is there a significant relationship between the demographic profile of respondents

and the factors that influence the mothers’ preventive practices against acute

gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan?

5. Is there a significant relationship between the demographic profile of the

respondents and the mother’s preventive practices against acute gastroenteritis of

Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan?

6. Is there a significant relationship between the factors and the mother’s preventive

practices against children’s acute gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan,

Tangalan, Aklan?

Hypotheses

1. There is no significant relationship between the demographic profile of respondents

and the factors that influence the mothers’ preventive practices against acute

gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan.

2. There is no significant relationship between the demographic profile of respondents

and the mothers’ preventive practices against acute gastroenteritis of Barangay

Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan.

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3. There is no significant relationship between the factors that influence mother’s

preventive practices and the respondent’s preventive practices against children’s acute

gastroenteritis.

Theoretical Framework

Throughout the past two decades, pediatric acute gastroenteritis has received a

great deal of attention and effort on a global scale. The theories applicable in this study

are the Environmental Theory and Neumans System Model. The Environmental theory of

Florence Nightingale, the focus of nursing is To modify the patient's environment in

order to affect health improvement. According to this theory, the following

environmental elements affect health: fresh air, clear water, adequate food supply, proper

drainage, cleanliness of the patient and environment, and light (especially direct

sunlight). If any of these areas are lacking, the patient's health may suffer. A nurse's duty

in a patient's recovery is to gradually change the environment to provide the best

conditions for the patient's body to heal itself.

Nursing's Environment Theory is a patient-care theory. That is, it focuses on

patient care rather than the nursing process, the patient-nurse interaction, or the specific

nurses. or the specific attendant. Consequently, the paradigm must be modified to

accommodate the needs of particular patients.

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Environmental factors affect different patients in ways that are unique to their conditions

and illnesses, and the nurse must address these elements on a case-by-case basis to ensure

that they are addressed in a way that best caters for an individual patient and his or her

requirements.

Additionally, Neuman Systems Model (NSM) is a practical guideline used by

caregiving and administrative staff members to produce positive client outcomes. The

theory was formulated by Dr. Betty Neuman based on her education and professional

experiences.

Based on a general system theory, the Neuman systems model reflects the essence of

living organisms as open systems interacting with each other and their environment. The

client may be an individual, family, group, community, or social entity within the

Neuman model. An essential tenet of the Newman theory is that "each client system is

unique, a unique composite of factors and characteristics within a given range of

responses."

The researcher used the Environmental Theory and Neuman System Model

(NSM) theory because it is aligned in her study which is Acute Gastroenteritis. These

theories help the researcher select a certain intervention she has to use for the patient

care.

Conceptual Framework

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 In figure 1 below, shows the antecedent, dependent and independent variables.

The antecedent variable includes the respondents profile. The independent variable is the

factors that influence mothers’ preventive practices. The dependent variable is the

Mothers' Preventive Practices Against Acute Gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan,

Tangalan, Aklan.

Significance of the Study

This study's generalization would make a significant contribution to the immense

body of knowledge regarding student accomplishments.

Vital results of this investigation are highly significant specifically to the following:

Children. The children are primarily beneficiary of the said study who must value health

and understand it’s implication to their lives. These study could help them be aware of

what risk this condition can have brought to them.

Parents. The present study will help them be informed about the preventive practices that

can affect the health of their children and also for them to be aware of proper feeding

practices to give appropriate guidance.

Community. This research would be beneficial to the community, for they will

understand the importance of proper feeding practices in order to have a healthy-children

in the community.

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Nursing Education. Health education is the main responsibility of caregivers especially

nurses. The result of the study will guide the nursing educators how to enrich the

curriculum especially in community nursing.

Nursing Practice. The outcome of a detailed analysis of the factors influencing

preventative measures against acute gastroenteritis may be helpful to medical

professionals working in both the hospital and the community. The findings will serve as

documented evidences about the knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and different preventive

practices utilize by most of the mothers.

Nursing Research. The result of this study will broaden and deepen one’s knowledge

toward the determinants of mother’s preventive practices against children’s acute

gastroenteritis. Additionally, this will support similar research on the same issue by other

scholars. It will aid in raising awareness of associated issues in the community, enabling

the demands to be properly met.

Future Researchers. This study would be beneficial to the future researchers because

they can get some information that might needed in their research and some of their

question may possibly be answered by this research. Also they can improve the past

study and create a new presentable and broad data concerning acute gastroenteritis.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study focuses on the Factors that Influence Mothers' Preventive Practices

Against Acute Gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan. The study was

8
conducted through the utilization of survey questionnaire to the respondents by the

guidance of the researcher as a survey and references. The time frame of this study is

from September 2022 to May 2023. The researcher utilized descriptive-correlational

research for her research design and used total population sampling in getting the

respondents for her study. By this strategy, the researcher was able to determine the

Factors that Influence Mothers' Preventive Practices Against Acute Gastroenteritis of

Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan.

Definition of Terms

For better clarification and understanding of the terms related to this study. The

following terms were defined conceptually and operationally.

Acute Gastroenteritis. Acute gastroenteritis is a common infectious disease syndrome,

causing a combination of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. (Smith, B.

2014).

Operationally, it refers to the study that are being conducted by the researcher.

Age. The concept of age describes how old a person is at a particular point in time. It is

defined as the time elapsed from the date of conception to a particular point in time,

typically the data collection date. (Wyatt, B. 2016).

Operationally, age refers to one of the independent variable in the study.

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Attitude. Attitude refers to favorable or unfavorable evaluative reaction toward

something or someone, exhibited in one’s beliefs, feelings, or intended behavior (Myers,

2016).

Operationally, attitude refers to one of the factor that affects the preventive

behaviors against acute gastroenteritis.

Behavior. Behavior is a person's actions. It is what a person does to make something

happen, bring about change, or maintain the status quo. (Bergner, 2010).

Operationally, behavior refers to one of the factor that affects the preventive

behaviors against acute gastroenteritis.

Educational Attainment. Refers to the utmost level of education achieved by an

individual. (Dewey, J. 2014).

Operationally, this refers as one of the independent variable in the study.

Factors. Factors are the experimental variables that experimenters manipulate to

ascertain their effect on the response variable. (Frost, J. 2022).

Operationally, this refers to the dependent variable of the study.

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Family Monthly Income.  Refers to your basic employment income, trade/self-

employed income, overtime pay, allowances, cash awards, commissions, and bonuses

(Paic, M. 2020).

Operationally, this refers as one of the independent variable in the study.

Influence. Influence is the ability to persuade others to share your views or act as you

desire..  It isthe ability to cause desirable and measurable actions and outcomes (Solis, B.

2010).

Knowledge. Knowledge arises from an active adaptation of the human organism to its

environment (Dewey, 2010).

Operationally, knowledge refers to one of the factor that affects the preventive

behaviors against acute gastroenteritis.

Mother. The female progenitor of a human; a woman who has given birth to a child or children.

Mothers perform a vital role in the family, which is a force for social cohesion and

integration.(Adams, M. 2022).

Operationally, it refers to the respondents in the study.

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Preventive Practices. Intended to protect, promote or maintain health and well-being

and at the same time helping to prevent disease, disability or death (Werle, C. 2011).

Operationally, it refers to one of the independent variable in the study.

Chapter 2

Reviews of Related Literature and Studies

Acute Gastroenteritis in Children of the World: What Needs to Be Done?

Due to improved hygiene conditions in developing nations and the use of

rotavirus vaccine, the incidence of gastroenteritis has drastically decreased. However,

thousands of children continue to perish from gastroenteritis, the majority in developing

nations. Nevertheless, the management of gastroenteritis is simple, inexpensive, and

effective, and is largely the same around the globe. The management of gastroenteritis is

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guided by universal guidelines that propose straightforward interventions early in the

disease's progression. The treatment consists of rehydration, continued oral feeding, and

anti-infective medications in selected clinical conditions related to symptoms or host-

related risk, as well as the possibility of additional drug therapy to reduce the duration

and severity of symptoms. There may be minimal regional variations in the application

of treatment due to health care organizations that do not significantly alter the universally

accepted recommendations. Sanitation interventions and rotavirus immunization are

recommended as preventative measures. Those interventions must be implemented in

target areas through educational initiatives and local programs.

(Guarino, et al. 2016).

Acute Gastroenteritis and its Impact on the Quality of Life of Parents and Children

The children's slumber was moderately affected by acute gastroenteritis. They

were observed to become more possessive, irritable, and depressed. The parents

themselves became extremely anxious. Their sleep, domestic activities, vitality level, and

social interactions were moderately impacted. In addition, Acute Gastroenteritis caused

the parents moderate tension. They became mildly agitated, exasperated, ashamed, and

helpless. In addition, there was no correlation between the demographic status of the

parents and the deleterious effects of gastroenteritis on their physical, emotional, and

social interactions. In addition, there was a correlation between the severity of

gastroenteritis symptoms and the child's functional and emotional symptoms. In contrast,

13
there was no statistically significant correlation between Acute gastroenteritis and the

parents' physical and emotional health.

It had a substantial impact on their social interactions with other family members,

acquaintances, and extended family members. Acute gastroenteritis negatively impacts

the quality of life of both parents and children, as well as their daily existence. In order to

prevent the spread of the disease, it is essential that medical professionals take

preventative measures such as sanitation and hygiene education, nutrition, and

immunization.

Preventive Practices on Children’s Acute Gastroenteritis: Basis for a Health

Education Program

Acute gastroenteritis is the fourth most common cause of consultation and

admission in year 2011and fifth in year 2012 with a total amount of 972 for the children

under five years old. Basis for a health education program in terms of knowledge,

attitude, and beliefs, biological and socio-cultural factors. The respondents were highly

knowledgeable on acute gastroenteritis and its preventive practices, have positive attitude

toward preventive practices against children acute gastroenteritis and strongly believe

that different preventive practices protect their children against acute gastroenteritis.

They practice excellently the different preventive measures against acute gastroenteritis.

Knowledge and attitude significantly determine one’s preventive practices against

children acute gastroenteritis. A health education program based on the result of the study

14
was developed for health promotion and prevention. Majority of the respondents have

children who had acute gastroenteritis. Knowledge, attitude and belief had positive

significant relationship to mother’s preventive practices against children acute

gastroenteritis.

Viral Gastroenteritis

Enteric viruses, particularly rotaviruses and noroviruses, are a leading cause

of gastroenteritis worldwide. Rotaviruses primarily affect young children, accounting for

almost 40% of hospital admissions for diarrhea and 200 000 deaths worldwide, with the

majority of deaths occurring in developing countries. Data from eight high-income and

middle-income countries showed a 49–89% decline in rotavirus-associated hospital

admissions and a 17–55% decline in all-cause gastroenteritis-associated hospital

admissions among children younger than 5 years, within 2 years of vaccine introduction.

Noroviruses affect people of all ages, and are a leading cause of foodborne disease and

outbreaks of gastroenteritis worldwide. Prevention of norovirus infection relies on

frequent hand hygiene, limiting contact with people who are infected with the virus, and

disinfection of contaminated environmental surfaces.

Gastroenteritis in Children

Acute gastroenteritis is a diarrheal disease with a rapid onset, which may or may

not be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, fever, or abdominal pain. Each year, acute

15
gastroenteritis is responsible for 1.5 million office visits, 200,000 hospitalizations, and

300 child fatalities in the United States. Evaluation of a child with acute gastroenteritis

should include a review of fluid intake and excretion in the recent past. If the parents

report no decrease in oral intake or urine output and no vomiting, significant dehydration

is unlikely. Physical examination is the greatest method for determining hydration status.

Based on physical examination findings, the four-item list The Clinical Dehydration

Scale can be utilized to assess the severity of dehydration. When viral gastroenteritis is

the likely diagnosis in children with a mild illness, routine stool microbiological testing is

unnecessary. Children with mild gastroenteritis can be treated at home. Oral rehydration

therapy, such as administering half-strength apple juice followed by the child's favored

liquids, is the mainstay treatment for mild dehydration and is as effective as intravenous

rehydration in preventing hospitalization and return to the emergency department.

Guidelines on acute gastroenteritis in children: a critical appraisal of their quality

and applicability in primary care

Reasons for poor guideline adherence in acute gastroenteritis (AGE) in children in

high-income countries are unclear, but may be due to inconsistency between guideline

recommendations, lack of evidence, and lack of generalizability of the recommendations

to general practice. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of international

guidelines on AGE in children and investigate the generalizability of the

recommendations to general practice. Guidelines were retrieved from websites of

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professional medical organizations and websites of institutes involved in guideline

development. In addition, a systematic search of the literature was performed. Articles

were selected if they were a guideline, consensus statement or care protocol. Eight

guidelines met the inclusion criteria, the quality of the guidelines varied. 242

recommendations on diagnosis and management were found, of which 138 (57%) were

based on evidence. The present study shows considerable variation in the quality of

guidelines on AGE in children, as well as inconsistencies between the recommendations.

It remains unclear how to assess the extent of dehydration and determine the preferred

treatment or referral of a young child with AGE presenting in general practice.

Effect of Educational Guidelines about Preventive Measures of Acute

Gastroenteritis on Mothers' Knowledge and Reported Practices

Acute gastroenteritis is the fifth leading cause of death worldwide. The study was

carried out in outpatient clinics affiliated to Mansoura University Children’s Hospital,

Egypt. Subjects of this study was a purposive sample of (100) mothers with their children

attended outpatient clinics. A developed structured questionnaire sheet to assess mothers'

knowledge and reported practice. Post-implementation of educational guidelines, there

was a statistically significant difference in mothers' knowledge and reported practice

regarding acute gastroenteritis prevention measures. There was an enhancement in the

mothers' knowledge and reported practice after application of educational guidelines

about preventive measures of acute gastroenteritis. Continuous educational programs for

health care providers and educators about gastroenteritis to be delivered at outpatient

clinics.

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Relationship Between Maternal Perceptions and Preventive Behaviors Regarding
Acute Diarrhea of Children in Bangladesh

Diarrhea is the second leading cause of death among children under-five world-

wide. In Bangladesh, diarrheal disease is one of the major causes of morbidity and

mortality among children and infants. Nearly 26 percent of total deaths among children

under five years old are due to diarrheal diseases (Rashid, Rahman, & Hyder, 2017). It is

imperative to understand mothers' perception about diarrhea and their preventive

behavior regarding acute diarrhea of children. One hundred and seven mothers who had

children aged less than 5 years old admitted with diarrhea at the International Centre for

Diarrhoeal Diseases Research Bangladesh (ICDDRB) were recruited. The results showed

that overall maternal perceptions and maternal preventive behaviors were at high and

moderate levels respectively. There was a moderately significant positive correlation

between maternal perceptions and preventive behaviors. The results supported the Health

Belief Model. Health personnel should provide health education programs emphasizing

the importance of maternal perceptions about their children's susceptibility to diarrheal

disease, the seriousness of diarrheal disease and the benefits of preventive health

behavior.

Treatment of Acute Gastroenteritis in Children

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 Acute gastroenteritis (AGE) is an extremely common pediatric condition, which

results in significant morbidity in children and is a financial burden to the society.

Children who received oral rehydration therapy had a shorter hospital stay than those

who received intravenous therapy. Given that oral rehydration is less invasive than IV

rehydration with no evidence of important clinical differences, it is the first choice for

rehydration in children with AGE and mild-to-moderate dehydration. As the vast

majority of children with AGE do not require IV rehydration, oral ondansetron

administration to children with significant vomiting should be performed to reduce the

use of IV rehydration and the need for hospital admission. In children deemed too unwell

to receive oral rehydration therapy, IV ondansetron administration is an option, as its use

is associated with lower hospital admission rates. Although probiotics appear to be an

effective option for the treatment of AGE amongst hospitalized children, outpatient data

is lacking and more studies are urgently needed to determine the optimal organism,

dosing and duration of treatment.

Synthesis

The researcher analyzed the associated works of literature and studies, as well as

the demographic profile and factors that influence mothers' preventative practices.

Furthermore, these emphasized the importance of the variables that provide an overview

of the study.

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 The demographic profile of the study's respondents has been classified. The age,

number of children, family monthly income, and educational attainment were chosen by

the researcher as relevant categories in the study.

The problem of acute gastroenteritis especially among children is considered one

of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. Knowledge, attitude,

and beliefs all play a role in one's preventive actions for children with acute

gastroenteritis. These parameters also exhibited a substantial favorable link with mothers'

preventive measures.

In children, acute gastroenteritis is a common and costly clinical condition. It is a

self-limiting sickness with numerous etiologies. A thorough history and physical

examination of the child with acute gastroenteritis are required to rule out other illnesses

with similar symptoms. Thus, awareness of particular activities always begins at home,

with mothers serving as the first mentors as the children begin to explore and learn

practices and awareness from members of the community. As a result, it is important to

share and pass on accurate information in order to avoid ambiguities and issues.

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 Chapter 3

Methodology

This chapter presents the methodology used for collecting the data for the study. It

explains the study population, sample and sampling procedure, data collection

techniques, data collection procedures and data analysis.

Research Design

This study used a descriptive-correlational research design. A questionnaire is

used to acquire data from a sample of a particular population. Descriptive-correlational

design is used in research studies that aim to provide static pictures of situations as well

as, establish the relationship between different variables (McBurney & White, 2009). The

descriptive method was used to describe the factors influencing mothers’ preventive

practices against children’s acute gastroenteritis. On the other hand, the correlational

design was utilized in this study to determine whether the antecedent variable can help

explain the relationship of independent and dependent variable and if the independent

variable has some effect on the dependent variable.

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Locale of the Study

The locale of this study is in Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan where

children are experiencing Acute Gastroenteritis Disease. Panayakan is a barangay in the

municipality of Tangalan, in the province of Aklan. Its population as determined by the

2020 Census was 3,119. This represented 13.16% of the total population of Tangalan.

The researcher has chosen Barangay Panayakan as the setting for her study

because she is living in this place. Moreover, she observed that many children there is

being hospitalized due to acute gastroenteritis. In this case, researcher wanted to assess

the factors that influence the mothers’ preventive practices against children acute

gastroenteritis.

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 Figure 2. Map of Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study were from Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan. A total of

93 respondents who were 18-45 years old mothers, who have children ages 7 years old

and below were included in the study.

Sampling Procedure

The total population sampling was used in selecting samples. Total or complete

enumeration is a type of purposive sampling technique where the researcher chooses to

examine the entire population that has a particular set of characteristics. It is preferred for

this study since it is usually low-cost and easy, with subjects readily available.

Research Instrument

The researcher gathered the information using an adapted questionnaire from the

study of Kananura Viateur about Preventive Practices against Children’s Acute

Gastroenteritis: Basis for a Health Education Program, which will serve as the main

instrument of several parts necessary for gathering information relevant to the study. The

survey questionnaire is composed of three (3) parts. Part I will determine the

demographic profile of the respondents. Part II is the factors of mothers’ preventive

23
practices. Part III shows the mother’s preventive practices against children’s acute

gastroenteritis.

Data Gathering Procedure

After the researcher has decided what design her research is going to be, she

continued following systematic procedure and start working on the data collection. The

researcher made a letter of permission for the Dean of the School of Nursing and to the

Barangay Captain of Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan, to gather data. Upon the approval of

the letter, the researcher reproduced and conducted the survey to the respondents. The

data that the researcher have gathered was used as the basis for the interpretation of data.

Ethical considerations were also secured in order to maintain the privacy of the

respondent’s personal information.

Data Analysis

The following statistics were employed in the analysis of the data. This study used

spearman rank correlations. In statistics, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient or

Spearman's ρ, named after Charles Spearman and often denoted by the Greek letter \rho

or as r_{s}, is a nonparametric measure of rank correlation. It evaluates the capability of

a monotonic function to describe the relationship between two variables.

24
 Mean, frequency distribution, and percentage was applied to get the biological

and socio-cultural factors of the respondents including age, number of children,

educational attainment, family income.

The appropriate analysis was employed by reviewing the statistical data records

from the submitted questionnaires. Results was then used as the basis for formulating the

findings, conclusion, and recommendations.

Scale of Interpretation
Factors that Affects Mothers Preventive Behavior against Acute Gastroenteritis

The interval in this scale was computed as (5-1=4 ) then 4 divided by 5 is equal to
g0.8. Five is the highest, and one is the lowest in the Likert Scale used in this study.

Validation of Instrument

Validation of the research instrument was done via a pilot study. The researcher

submitted a copy of the questionnaire to the evaluators for it to be checked if the question

is related to the topic of the study and if other mistakes may be corrected.

25
Ethical Procedures

In conducting the research, the researcher followed ethical principles in

conducting the activity. The risks posed to human subjects in this study were minimal,

including disruption of working hours and minor mental distress regarded as being

caused by the self-assessment. To protect respondents’ basic rights, the right to self-

determination was respected by giving comprehensive information about the study prior

to obtaining informed consent to participate in the study. In addition, proper document

archiving was adopted to respect the respondents’ right to confidentiality.

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 Chapter 4

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This chapter contains a detailed presentation and discussion of data analysis and

the results of this study. The findings are presented under the following major headings:

age, number of children, educational attainment and family monthly income

characteristics; factors that influence the mother’s preventive practices against acute

gastroenteritis; and the preventive practices against children’s acute gastroenteritis.

Table 4.1. Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents according to

Age

The table above shows the age of the respondents of the study from 18 to 45 and

the total mean age of the 93 respondents (M = 32.84). It shows that most of the

respondents are from the age category of 38 and 42 years old accounting for 7

respondents (7.5%). Respondents with an age 28 got 6 respondents which contributes to

(6.5%) of the whole population. Age 25, 26, 27, 35, and 40 got 5 respondents (5.4%) of

the whole population. The age category of 18, 31, and 37 got 4 respondents which

contribute to (4.3%). The age category of 24, 30, 33, 36, 41, 43, and 45 with 3

respondents which is equivalent to (3.2%) of the whole population. The age category of

27
22, 29, 32, 34, 39, and 45 with 2 respondents that accounts to (2.2%) of the whole

population while the age category with the least response came from the age category of

19, 20 and 23 accounting for 1 respondent (1.1%) of the whole study.

Table 4.2. Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents according to

Number of Children

The table above shows the number of children of the respondents from 1 to 8. The

result shows that the majority of the respondents have a children of 1 accounting for 28

respondents (30.1%). Respondents with 2 children garnered 22 respondents corresponds

to (23.7%). The respondents who have children of 3 got 16 respondents that corresponds

to (17.2%) of the whole population. Respondents who have 4 children earned 11

respondents which corresponds to (11.8%). The respondents with 6 children got 9

respondents accounts to (9.7%) of the whole population. The respondents with 7 children

has 5 respondents corresponds to (5.4%) while respondents with 5 and 8 children

appeared to have the least response accounting for 1 respondent (1.1%) for the whole

study.

Table 4.3. Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents according to

Educational Attainment

The table above shows the educational attainment of the 93 respondents of the

study in terms of no formal schooling, elementary graduate, high school graduate, and

college graduate. The result shows that the majority of the respondents were able to finish

high school accounting for 55 respondents (59.1%) while respondents with no formal

28
schooling appeared to have the least response which has for 5 respondents (5.4%) for the

whole study. The respondents that are elementary graduate garnered 12 respondents

(12.9%). Lastly, the respondents who are college graduate who got 21 respondents

(22.6%) for the whole study.

Table 4.4. Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents according to

Family Monthly Income

The table above shows the family monthly income of the respondents in terms of

6 categories. The result shows that the majority of the respondents have a monthly

income of Php. 2,001.00 – Php. 4,000.00 accounting for 22 respondents (23.7%) while

respondents with a monthly income of above Php. 10,000.00 appeared to have the least

response which has 5 respondents (5.4%) for the whole study. The respondents who have

below Php 2,000 monthly income got 19 respondents (20.4%). The respondents with Php

4,001 – Php 6,000 monthly income has 18 respondents (19.4%). The respondents with

Php 6,001 – 8000 monthly incomes that accounts to 17 respondents (18.3%). Monthly

income of Php 8,001 – 10,000 got 12 respondents which contributes to (12.9%) of the

whole population.

Table 4.5. Factors that Influence the Mother’s Preventive Practices against Acute
Gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan.

The table above shows the mean result of the factors that influence the

respondent’s preventive practices against acute gastroenteritis in terms of knowledge,

attitude, and beliefs. The result shows that among the three categories, knowledge of

29
acute gastroenteritis and preventive practices got an “acceptable” overall interpretation

with a mean score of 3.14 while the attitude and beliefs of the respondents on acute

gastroenteritis and preventive practices got an overall interpretation of “agree” with a

mean score of 3.66 and 3.81 respectively.

Each year, acute gastroenteritis kills millions of children, especially in developing

nations. For national program managers, knowing the parent's level of knowledge,

attitude, and beliefs about dehydration therapy would be crucial information (Elliott,

2017).

Table 4.6. Mother’s Preventive Practices Against Acute Gastroenteritis

The table above shows the mean result of the mother’s preventive behavior

against acute gastroenteritis. The result shows that the 93 respondents of the study have

an overall interpretation of “often practiced” with a mean score of 3.99.

In line with this, a survey carried out in Zambia produced encouraging results

because 80% of respondents said there were no restrooms close to their water sources.

However, it did not imply that the water sources were necessarily pure and safe to

consume. (Juusela, 2010). According to Bartram (2018), access to a toilet alone can

reduce child acute gastroenteritis deaths by over 30% and hand washing by over 40%.

Additionally, acute gastroenteritis is frequently referred to as being related to water, but

more accurately should be called being related to excreta, as the pathogens originate from

fecal matter.

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Table 4.7. Relationship between the Age and Factors that Influence the Mother’s
Preventive Practices against Acute Gastroenteritis

The table above shows the relationship between the sex of the 93 respondents of

the study and the factors that influence their preventive behaviors against acute

gastroenteritis in terms of knowledge, attitude, and beliefs. The result shows a no or

negligible relationship between the age and knowledge of the respondents with a

Spearman’s rho value of -.112 and a p-value of .283. Also, the table displays a weak but

significant relationship between the age and the attitude of the respondents with a

Spearman’s rho value of -.280 and is statistically significant at p = .007. Lastly, the result

shows that there is no or negligible relationship between the age and the beliefs of the

respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of -.006 and a p-value of .957.

The study by Onyango and Angienda (2010) provided support for the study and

found that the data generally tend to support the notion that maternal age is a key factor

in determining whether children will seek medical attention for illnesses. They go on to

say that older caregivers (mothers) were more inclined than younger ones to seek the

proper care. Two-thirds (64.4%) of the carers were in the 20- to 29-year age range,

followed by the 30- to 39-year age group at 22.9%, and 10.2% were adolescents. Only

3.3% of the mothers who provided care were over 40 years old. (Mukiira and Ibisomi

2010).

Table 4.8. Relationship between the Number of Children and Factors that Influence
the Mother’s Preventive Practices against Acute Gastroenteritis

31
 The table above shows no significant relationship between the number of children

of the respondents towards their preventive behaviors against acute gastroenteritis in

terms of knowledge, attitude, and beliefs. The result shows a no or negligible relationship

between the number of children of the respondents and their knowledge of preventive

behaviors on acute gastroenteritis with a Spearman’s rho value of -.083 and a p-value

of .428. A no or negligible relationship between the number of children and the attitude

of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of -.095 at p = .364. Lastly, a no or

negligible relationship between the number of children and the beliefs of the respondents

with a Spearman’s rho value of -.058 at p = .578.

This implies that the number of children of the respondents does not significantly

influence their behavior on acute gastroenteritis in terms of knowledge, attitude, and

beliefs.

Table 4.9. Relationship between the Educational Attainment and Factors that
Influence the Mother’s Preventive Practices against Acute
Gastroenteritis

The table below shows the relationship between the educational attainment of the

93 respondents of the study and the factors that influence their preventive practices

against acute gastroenteritis in terms of knowledge, attitude, and beliefs. The result shows

a no or negligible relationship between the educational attainment and knowledge of the

respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of -.015 at p = .884. Also, the table displays a

weak relationship between the educational attainment and the attitude of the respondents

with a Spearman’s rho value of .246 and is statistically significant at p = .018. Lastly, the

32
table shows that there is no or negligible relationship between the educational attainment

and the beliefs of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of .163 and a p-value

of .119.

To develop a favorable attitude and practice toward the improved prevention and

management of diarrheal diseases in children under the age of five, health education,

information dissemination, and community discussion should plan and implement

(Workie et al., 2018).

Table 4.10. Relationship between the Family Monthly Income and Factors that
Influence the Mother’s Preventive Practices against Acute
Gastroenteritis

The table above shows the relationship between the family monthly income of the

93 respondents of the study and the factors that influence their preventive practices

against acute gastroenteritis in terms of knowledge, attitude, and beliefs. The result shows

a weak relationship between the family monthly income and knowledge of the

respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of .274 and is statistically significant at p

33
= .008. Also, the table displays a no or negligible relationship between the family

monthly income and the attitude of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of .181

at p = .082. Lastly, the table shows that there is no or negligible relationship between the

family monthly income and the beliefs of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of

.101 at p = .335.

Childhood diarrheal illness places a huge financial burden on households and the

healthcare system. The study shows how the expenditures of seeking treatment bring the

income of the majority of families in all income strata below the national poverty line in

the month of illness, putting the latter in danger of ensuing poverty. (Hendrix et al.,

2017).

Table 4.11. Relationship between Factors that Influence the Mother’s Preventive
Practices against Acute Gastroenteritis and the Preventive Behaviors
against Children’s Acute Gastroenteritis

The table above shows the relationship between the factors and the preventive

practices of the respondents on acute gastroenteritis in terms of knowledge, attitude, and

beliefs. The result shows no or negligible relationship between the preventive behaviors

of the respondents against acute gastroenteritis and knowledge with a Spearman’s rho

value of .196 at p = .059. Also, the table displays a weak relationship between the

preventive behaviors of the respondents against acute gastroenteritis and attitude with a

Spearman’s rho value of .294 and is statistically significant at p = .004. Lastly, the table

shows that there is a strong relationship between the preventive behaviors of the

34
respondents against acute gastroenteritis and beliefs with a Spearman’s rho value of .448

and is statistically significant at p = .000.

Ansari et al. (2011) revealed a statistically significant relationship between

mothers' education and awareness of acute gastroenteritis prevention (2 = 6.325, p0.05).

This further supports the earlier finding of the Manalili (2012) study, which showed that

knowledge, attitude, and health beliefs are strongly correlated with malaria infection

control behaviors.

Chapter 5

Summary, Findings, Conclusions and Recommendations

Summary

This study was conducted to determine the Factors that Influence Mothers'

Preventive Practices Against Acute Gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan,

Aklan. This involved 93 respondents who were 18-45 years old with a children ages 7

years old and below. This study was conducted using a descriptive correlational design

which includes supporting qualitative data collected through the adapted questionnaire

for the respondents. Percentages, Frequency, and Spearman rank correlations were used

as statistical tools to analyze data. There is no significant relationship between the

35
demographic profile of respondents and the factors that influence the mothers’ preventive

practices against acute gastroenteritis of Barangay Panayakan, Tangalan, Aklan. There is

no significant relationship between the factors and the mothers’ preventive practices

against children’s acute gastroenteritis.

Findings

Based on the research problems of the study, the findings were the following:

It was noted that most of the respondents are from the age category of 38 and 42

years old accounting for 7 respondents (7.5%). The result shows that the majority of the

respondents have a children of 1 accounting for 28 respondents (30.1%). The result

shows that the majority of the respondents were able to finish high school accounting for

55 respondents (59.1%). The result shows that the majority of the respondents have a

monthly income of Php 2,001.00 – Php 4000.00 accounting for 22 respondents (23.7%).

The result shows that among the three categories, knowledge of acute

gastroenteritis and preventive practices got an “acceptable” overall interpretation with a

mean score of 3.14 while the attitude and beliefs of the respondents on acute

gastroenteritis and preventive practices got an overall interpretation of “agree” with a

mean score of 3.66 and 3.81 respectively.

The mean result of the mother’s preventive behavior against acute gastroenteritis

shows that the 93 respondents of the study have an overall interpretation of “often

practiced” with a mean score of 3.99.

36
 The result shows a no or negligible relationship between the age and knowledge

of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of -.112 and a p-value of .283. Also, the

table displays a weak but significant relationship between the age and the attitude of the

respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of -.280 and is statistically significant at p

= .007. Lastly, the result shows that there is no or negligible relationship between the age

and the beliefs of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of -.006 and a p-value

of .957.

The result shows a no or negligible relationship between the number of children

of the respondents and their knowledge of preventive behaviors on acute gastroenteritis

with a Spearman’s rho value of -.083 and a p-value of .428. A no or negligible

relationship between the number of children and the attitude of the respondents with a

Spearman’s rho value of -.095 at p = .364. Lastly, a no or negligible relationship between

the number of children and the beliefs of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of

-.058 at p = .578.

The result shows a no or negligible relationship between the educational

attainment and knowledge of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of -.015 at p =

.884. The result displays a weak relationship between the educational attainment and the

attitude of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of .246 and is statistically

significant at p = .018.

The result shows that there is no or negligible relationship between the

educational attainment and the beliefs of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value

of .163 and a p-value of .119. The result shows a weak relationship between the family

37
monthly income and knowledge of the respondents with a Spearman’s rho value of .274

and is statistically significant at p = .008. The result displays a no or negligible

relationship between the family monthly income and the attitude of the respondents with

a Spearman’s rho value of .181 at p = .082. The result shows that there is no or negligible

relationship between the family monthly income and the beliefs of the respondents with a

Spearman’s rho value of .101 at p = .335.

The result shows no or negligible relationship between the preventive behaviors

of the respondents against acute gastroenteritis and knowledge with a Spearman’s rho

value of .196 at p = .059. The result displays a weak relationship between the preventive

behaviors of the respondents against acute gastroenteritis and attitude with a Spearman’s

rho value of .294 and is statistically significant at p = .004. The result shows that there is

a strong relationship between the preventive behaviors of the respondents against acute

gastroenteritis and beliefs with a Spearman’s rho value of .448 and is statistically

significant at p = .000.

Conclusions

Interpretation of the data gathered in factors of mother’s preventative

practices that prevent acute gastroenteritis is presented according to the research

questions. Based on the findings of the study, the following conclusions were drawn:

The majority of the respondents age are from the age category of 38 and 42 years

old. The majority of the respondents have a children of 1 accounting for 28 respondents.

The majority of the respondents were able to finish high school accounting for 55

38
respondents. The majority of the respondents have a monthly income of Php 2,001.00 –

4,000.00 accounting for 22 respondents. The result of Mother’s Preventive Behavior

Against Acute Gastroenteritis mean that the respondents had good preventive practices

against children’s acute gastroenteritis since they were often practiced. This imply that

the majority of the respondents are aware of the preventive practices in order to avoid this

kind of disease.

Considering the findings of the study, it could be inferred the respondents were

highly knowledgeable, had a positive outlook, and strongly believed on preventive

measures against acute gastroenteritis in children. The more knowledgeable are the

respondents and adopt a constructive outlook toward acute gastroenteritis, the more they

practice the different preventive actions. Thus, attitude and knowledge predict ones’

preventative practices against children’s acute the gastroenteritis.

The findings of the relationship of Knowledge, Attitude and Beliefs to Preventive

Practices, the null hypothesis stating “There is no significant relationship between the

demographic profile of respondents and the factors that influence the mothers’ preventive

practices against acute gastroenteritis” was accepted. The study of Onyango and

Angienda (2010) supported the study and revealed that the findings tend to support the

idea that maternal age is an important determinant of healthcare-seeking for childhood

illness. Additionally, this also support the previous finding of Mansaguiton (2012) study

where it was found out that age, educational attainment and socio-economic status were

not significantly related to the respondents’ preventive practices against dengue fever.

39
However, this does not support the study conducted by Liu (2009) which found that there

is a positive correlation between maternal education and child health outcomes.

The findings of Relationship of Knowledge, Attitude and Beliefs to Preventive

Practices, the null hypothesis stating “knowledge level, the level of attitude and beliefs

has no significant relationship to preventive behaviors against acute gastroenteritis in

children" was accepted. This means that the greater the number of respondents has with a

positive attitude, with a strong beliefs and good in their preventive practices against

children’s acute gastroenteritis. Likewise, the study of Ansari et al. (2011) supported this

finding and showed a statistical significance between mothers' knowledge about the

prevention of acute gastroenteritis and education. This also support the previous finding

of Manalili (2012) study where it was found out that knowledge, attitude and health

beliefs are significantly related to infection control practices on Malaria.

Recommendations

Based on the findings and conclusions of the study, the following

recommendations are presented:

Children. To eat more-healthy foods and make sure to wash their hands before

eating their meals.

Mothers. To practice more and teach their children on proper handwashing and

proper preparation of meals in order to avoid this kind of disease.

40
 Nursing Practices. To plan activities that will improve a higher level of positive

attitude toward preventative measures against acute childhood illness gastroenteritis in

the general population.

Nursing Research. To conduct another study in other communities especially

those with high incidence of acute gastroenteritis.

Nursing Education. Nursing instructors should stress to their students that when

it comes to health education for the community's mothers, they should highlight what

causes acute gastroenteritis, its mechanism of transmission, and its consequences that

drinking plenty of water is one of the most effective ways to recover from this health

problem.

Future Researchers. To improve and create a more presentable and broad data

concerning acute gastroenteritis.

41