Source of Information and Support during Toilet Training Among Parents of Preschool Children in Malaysia

Introduction: Toilet training can be an unsettling process for both parent and child. Parents’ choice of information source will influence practices and decisions made during training. The study investigates parents’ sources of information, support and their experiences during toilet training. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 284 parents of children, 2 to 6 years of age attending kindergartens, who completed a questionnaire. The questionnaire inquired about family characteristics, toilet training practices, and parents’ sources of information and support. The factors associated with parents’ choice of information source were analysed using logistic regression. Results: Most parents seek information from online sources (internet 45.8% social media 20.1%) and other parents (50.4%). A small proportion of parents sought information from healthcare providers (doctors 4.9%, nurses 5.3%) and ‘My Health’ website (2.8%). Online information sources were associated with Malay ethnicity (odds ratio (OR) 2.14, 95% CI 1.19-3.85), first-time parents (OR 2.00; 95% CI 1.22-3.29) and parental tertiary education (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.09-2.82). While healthcare providers reported as an information source were associated with lower family income (OR 3.68; 95% CI 1.59-8.51). The presence of delayed speech and problems during toilet training were not associated factors. Husband/partners, kindergarten teachers and grandparents were the parents’ main source of support. One-fifth (18%) of parents reported that toilet training was an unfavourable experience and 27.5% of children experienced toilet training problems. Conclusion: Strategies to improve parents’ information-seeking behaviour and parents' access to primary care services are needed to facilitate a smoother toilet training process.