The hypothesis that portraying nontraditional sex roles for men in instructional health pamphlets intended for illiterates and semiliterates does not interfere with the comprehension of the technical information was confirmed. Two versions of a pamphlet on how to prepare and use an oral rehydration salts (ORS) solution with children with diarrhea were prepared for distribution in Mexico. In the first version, the illustrations showed only women involved with the sick child; the second version was identical in every respect except the male caretaker was added to almost every page. Thirty health workers and 200 fathers and mothers (none had more than 6 years of schooling) from low socioeconomic sections of rural and suburban central Mexico were interviewed to determine if they noticed the differences between the pamphlets, which they preferred, and why. Contrary to general belief, the subjects in the study did not reject the idea of the father helping the mother to care for the sick child; the majority preferred the version that included the father figure. Nor did the presence of the father figure interfere with their comprehension of the ORS instructions. These findings have implications for instructional and motivational communication endeavors throughout the developing world. (RM)