Pediatric Gastroenteritis Knowledge among Caregivers from Diyala Province, Iraq

Abstract

Background: Acute gastroenteritis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children below the age of five worldwide. The knowledge of caregivers has a direct impact on the clinical outcomes, but the epidemiologic data synthesizing this correlation in the Middle East environment (including Iraq) are limited.

Objective: To assess the knowledge of caregivers related to pediatric gastroenteritis and to identify the sociodemographic and clinical factors that determine the knowledge.

Subjects and Methods: A sample of 150 caregivers visiting Al-Batool Teaching Hospital in Diyala Province, Iraq was utilized in a cross-sectional design through a validated 38-item questionnaire with six domains of knowledge between 29 October 2025 and 15 January 2026. The questionnaire was answered by 30 pediatricians and 30 emergency department nurses to compare the scoring for construct validity. The logistic regression analysis was used to determine the predictors of knowledge level.

Results: Majority (69.3%) of the respondents were mothers with a mean age of 29.6 ± 7.5 years. The average knowledge score was 20.84 ± 3.267 (55% correct), and 75.3% had a good knowledge standard (≥19/38). The main source of information among the participants was social media (30.7%). The areas where severe knowledge gaps were found were the identification of dehydration, the signs that required oral rehydration therapy, and the appropriate use of antibiotics. The logistic regression could not provide any statistically significant predictors of knowledge level.

Conclusion: Despite the fact that the majority of caregivers demonstrated sufficient knowledge, the gaps that persisted in all the areas were observed. The lack of sociodemographic predictors is an indication of knowledge deficits on a large scale, which merits the need to introduce comprehensive educational interventions combining clinical encounters and online platforms.