<![CDATA[This community-based cross-sectional survey described the six-month burden of diarrhea and two modifiable maternal preventive behaviors—exclusive breastfeeding and handwashing with soap at critical times—among mothers of under-five children in the Sagerat Public Health Center catchment area of Bitung City, North Sulawesi, Indonesia, from July to August 2025. Fifty mothers of children aged 9 months to 5 years were recruited by accidental sampling from a population of 3,122. Data were collected via interviewer-administered questionnaires and field observation. Exclusive breastfeeding was defined as breast milk only from birth through six months. Handwashing was classified as good only when all seven critical-time items were fulfilled; otherwise it was classified as poor. Diarrhea was defined as maternal report of at least three loose or watery stools in 24 hours during the preceding six months. Of the 50 children, 24 (48.0%; 95% confidence interval, 34.8%–61.5%) had experienced diarrhea. Thirty-three mothers (66.0%; 95% confidence interval, 52.2%–77.6%) had not exclusively breastfed for six months, while 31 (62.0%; 95% confidence interval, 48.2%–74.1%) demonstrated poor handwashing behavior. Most mothers were aged 26–35 years (56.0%) and were homemakers (74.0%); 62.0% of children were aged one to two years. A substantial diarrhea burden coexisted with major gaps in both preventive behaviors. Although causal associations cannot be inferred due to the descriptive design and non-probability sampling, these findings establish an actionable primary-care baseline for integrated breastfeeding support and hand-hygiene promotion and justify larger analytic studies using probability sampling and multivariable models.]]>
