A worldwide survey on the treatment of diarrhoeal disease by oral rehydration in 1979

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Abstract
SUMMARY How do you treat diarrhoea?, questionnaires were sent to 586 health workers in 81 countries and 58% replied. Treatments for acute diarrhoea were scored for popularity, including retrospective questions about therapy three years earlier. Oral rehydration was apparently widely used in 1976, and this had increased by 1979. Intravenous therapy was also important. Kaolin and sulphonamides are becoming less popular, but antibiotics are still widely prescribed. The most commonly used oral rehydration mixtures in 1979 were home made, simple salt-sugar solutions. A complete formula, as recommended by WHO, was used by a smaller number. 30% of the responders reported no difficulty with oral rehydration, but many did not favour the method. The main technical complaint in 28% of replies was that patients could not take enough fluid, and vomiting was reported in 22%. Local beliefs about the cause of diarrhoea related to some food or fluid ingested according to 45% of responders. Such diet-related beliefs may adversely affect the use of oral therapy.