Health Awareness of Rural Secondary School Children in Bangladesh

1.1 Background of the study
Health knowledge, as part of life skills is important if children are to prosper in society. Students’ knowledge about management of commonly occurring injuries and illnesses, particularly in rural areas has been documented to be fragmented, disintegrated and non-sequential. Various wrong practices and myths associated with illnesses and injuries have also been reported among students. Students are usually found to be enthusiastic for any training program organized for them in first aid and basic life support system. In view of this, the present study has been conducted to ascertain the awareness of high school students about management of common illnesses and injuries; estimate the prevalent wrong practices and beliefs about illness and injuries; and to assess their knowledge about basic reproductive and child health.

MDG has three goals and four targets which are directly related to health. Bangladesh has achieved great success in target 5(Reduce by two thirds, between 1990 and 2015, the under-five child mortality rate).The under five child mortality rate has gone down from 151 in 1991 to 62 in 2006 against the targeted 50 in 2015. Child mortality rate is a reflection of the care, health and nutrition status of children below the age of five years and also indicates the social, cultural, and economic progress in the country.

Major causes of under-five deaths are pneumonia (18%), diarrhoea (6%), injuries and drowning (8%), and measles, with malnutrition underlying most other causes (13%). Poor care-seeking behavior and practices are also important contributing factors. Only 8 percent of parents of sick children under the age of five seek care from qualified health care providers. In order to reduce deaths from diarrhoea, the oral rehydration therapy (ORT) campaign has been in effect for several decades. The use of oral rehydration solution (ORS) has increased from 62 percent in 2000 to 68 percent in 2003.

MDG 6 and target 7...