Abstract

In Indonesia diarrheal diseases continue to be a public health problem. The diarrhea control program has been instituted, including the provision of drinking water and household latrines to reduce the prevalence and incidence of diarrhea diseases, and the introduction of oral rehydration to prevent severe dehydration which might be fatal. Results of the Demographic and Health Surveys (1991, 1994 and 1997), reported that the prevalence (10%) and incidence (7%) of diarrheal diseases among children under 5 years of age slightly varied in the three survey periods. The average duration of diarrhea was 3.1 days, which was slightly longer among infants than children aged 12-59 months. Mothers with children suffering from diarrhea had less demand for medical treatment than those with children suffering from cough with fast-breathing or fever. More than 90% women in the survey had ever heard or seen of the oral rehydration salt packets (ORS packets), but only 68% had ever used the ORSpackets to treat diarrhea. In practice, among mothers having children with diarrhea 48% were giving ORS solution, and only 15% were not giving any additional fluids, except young infants under 6 months among whom 54% were not given any additional fluids, as they still received the same amount of breast milk and some were more frequently breastfed.