Our findings have implications on both individual and societal levels. Poverty and suboptimal living conditions are recognized to be mediators of diarrheal diseases (29, 30). While caregivers often do not have immediate control over the economic and social factors that put their children at risk of diarrhea, they can have a high degree of control over their children's well-being in terms of preventing death from diarrhea-related dehydration if they have access to ORS and know how to use it properly. This study shows that limited knowledge of ORS is a risk factor for gastroenteritis-related morbidity. It points to some health behaviors that are counterproductive, including wasting limited resources on over-the-counter therapies that are not indicated and discontinuing breast-feeding when infants have diarrhea. These detrimental practices can be targeted in health promotion efforts. Caregivers who feel more self-reliant in managing their child's gastroenteritis are more likely to initiate ORS at home and are less likely to end up at the hospital with a dehydrated child. These caregivers who can manage acute gastroenteritis effectively at home also avoid many indirect costs, including missed work and costs of transportation to the hospital. Maximizing access to ORS may help protect children from dehydration. This could be done, for example, by encouraging caregivers to keep packets of ORS on hand at home or by teaching caregivers who are set on mixing their own home fluids the appropriate recipe for sugar-salt solution. The mass media could be used to spread the word about ORT, by teaching caregivers about appropriate feeding practices during gastroenteritis and updating them when health practices change.