Table 3 Representative quotes from focus-groups and interviews
Quote | Respondent | Country |
|---|---|---|
A. Perceptions and knowledge of diarrheal disease | ||
"The problem of diarrhea is quite serious; it has to do with hygiene habits especially, and with dietary habits." | MOH Official | Nicaragua |
"It is not an important health problem because of low-mortality rate. Parents would seek early medical consultation. Most cases are mild diarrhea." | Community Health Nurse | Thailand |
"Lack of knowledge regarding sanitation and hygiene, and myths and beliefs among rural populations about diarrhea leads to seriousness of the cases." | Public Health Care Provider | India |
"It is a social problem and depends on water supply, and personal nutrition and hygiene." | Medical School Professor | Ukraine |
"Due to negligence, people do not react immediately to the symptoms of the disease." | District-level private health care provider | India |
B. Knowledge of rotavirus and rotavirus vaccines | ||
"We don't know what the rotavirus is." | Nurse | Ukraine |
". . .Maybe a little [knowledge of rotavirus] . . . I only know that it causes diarrhea." | General practitioner | Thailand |
"Rotavirus is prevailing in western countries only. Diagnosis for rotavirus is not done in India. Not aware of vaccine." | State level health advisor | India |
"It is a water borne disease. But one does not know about its prevalence in India." | Public health provider | India |
"Not yet, not yet. I have not been informed about rotavirus diarrhea or the vaccine." | Policy maker | Indonesia |
C. Other causes of diarrheal disease | ||
"We know that viruses are the main cause of diarrhea, but don't know which." | Pediatrician | Ukraine |
"The causes of diarrhea are mostly food-borne infections, both bacterial and viruses. Most of our cases are viral." | General practitioner | Thailand |
"Eating mutton and chicken, eating food without washing hands, and living in unclean surroundings are causes of diarrhea." | Private Health Care Provider | India |
D. Prevention of Diarrheal Disease | ||
"Invest in campaign programs, especially during the peak season of diarrhea. Collaborate with community health centers focusing on hand washing, clean and safe food." | Advisor, Ministry of Health | Thailand |
"Dispose dust and garbage on day to day basis. Dispose of infant stools properly and wash hands." | Village-level Public Health Provider | India |
"In order to prevent diarrhea: exclusive breastfeeding." | Ministry of Health official | Nicaragua |
"In previous times we had a lot of printing materials and posters regarding prevention of diarrheal disease and personal hygiene, now we don't have these." | Pharmacist | Ukraine |
E. Diarrheal Disease Treatment | ||
"Oral rehydration therapy is the best." | Ministry of Health Official | Nicaragua |
"Most physicians don't even realize that decrease in death rates among infants in the past few years is due to broader implementation of rehydration therapy." | Medical School Professor | Ukraine |
"The challenges [for treatment]: the culture of each individual, self medication, many purge their children and they come in dehydrated, they stop giving them food because they say it hurts them." | Private physician | Nicaragua |
"Mothers stop breast feeding the child with diarrhea. This leads to seriousness." Public Health care provider, Village level, Indian | Village Level Public Health Care Provider | India |
"People frequently use self-treatment with antibiotics, and this is bad." | Pediatrician | Ukraine |
F. Zinc treatment | ||
"Do not know much [about zinc]. It is still under study." | District-Level Public Health Care Provider | India |
"We have never heard about zinc but think that regular use of yogurts can protect from gastroenteritis." | Pediatrician | Ukraine |