Objetive.To study the urban and rural variations of medical care for acute diarrhea among children under five years old. Material and methods. Data from the 1993 Effective Household Treatment National Survey were analyzed. A number of 338 children from urban areas and 300 from rural areas were included in the study.

Variables included were:

household treatment. health-seeking behavior, mothers' previous training to manage acute diarrhea, use of oral rehydration salts (ORS) and availability of and access to health care. Results. Oral rehydration therapy (ORT) as part of the household treatment and feeding the regular diet were more frequently found in rural areas. Less than 50% of children received medical care in both settings. In urban areas most children were cared for by private physicians. About 30% of children needed medical care but they were not taken to medical facilities. Physicians in rural areas prescribed ORS more frequently, while those from urban areas prescribed medication and restrictive diets in a greater proportion. Physicians working in public facilities prescribed ORT in greater proportions than private ones. Mothers from rural areas had received more training to manage diarrhea but they had restricted access to medical care in comparison to mothers from urban areas. Conclusions. It is necessary to improve health care education of urban populations, to increase access and coverage of health services in rural areas and to strength activities to improve the quality of medical care provided by private physicians and by those working in urban areas.