DefinePK

Abstract

Background: Diarrheal diseases continue to pose a major public health burden in low-resource rural communities, particularly in Pakistan, where sanitation infrastructure and health awareness remain insufficient. These preventable illnesses disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, especially children under five, due to poor hygiene practices, contaminated water sources, and limited access to effective health education. Community-driven interventions tailored to local contexts are essential to mitigate these risks and improve health outcomes in underserved settings.
Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a targeted, community-based health education intervention in improving awareness and prevention of diarrheal diseases in a rural village in Sindh, Pakistan.
Methods: This participatory intervention was conducted in Punhal Khan Chandio Village through a four-phase framework: initial community assessment, educational content development, session implementation, and outcome evaluation. Risk factors such as poor hygiene (90%), unsafe water usage (85%), low health literacy (80%), improper food handling (75%), and suboptimal housing conditions (70%) were identified through informal interviews and observations. Educational sessions utilized a multi-method approach: lecture/discussion/chart-based teaching (22.7%), audio-visual aids (18.2%), and hands-on demonstrations (13.6%)—with emphasis on home-based ORS preparation. Sessions were delivered in small household settings due to infrastructure limitations.
Results: Feedback indicated strong community engagement: 90% of participants reported positive reception, 85% actively participated, and 70% asked questions during sessions. Women showed particularly improved understanding of hygiene and ORS use. Key barriers included lack of public teaching spaces, absence of digital teaching tools, school closures, and no follow-up evaluation due to time and resource constraints.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated that culturally sensitive, low-cost health education can significantly enhance community knowledge and engagement regarding diarrhea prevention in low-literacy, rural settings.