Influence of maternal education on child survival : an analysis of some indicators of child survival in a working class, Urban, Flat Dwelling Community in Colombo.

Abstract

The study was carried out in the Maligawatta housing scheme, with the intention of finding out whether there is an association between the maternal education and some of the indicators of child survival in this community. An important objective of this study was to find pathways of influence of maternal educational on child survival, so that the association established by some of the researchers in the past, will become a causal one. The mother's knowledge was tested in six areas, growth monitoring, oral rehydration therapy, breast feeding, immunization, food supplementation and family planning. The mother's attitudes and practices were examined in the following areas. availability of mother's time, power relationship of the household, washing of hands, use of boiled cooled water for drinking purpose, immunization when suffer from minor ailments, breast feeding when suffer from diarrhea and use of thick clothes at time of fever. Recommendations are made regarding health education of mothers and also the relevance of further research on the same line for formulation of health and educational policies is stressed