Evaluation of Fever-Related Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Mothers of Children with Chronic Diseases: A Descriptive Study

Year 2023, Volume: 7 Issue: 1, 223 - 234, 31.01.2023

Serpil Boran , İlknur Kahriman

https://doi.org/10.30621/jbachs.1090169

Cited By: 2

Abstract

Purpose: This research was conducted in a descriptive design to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the mothers of hospitalized children with chronic diseases about fever.

Methods: The study was conducted with the mothers of hospitalized children with a chronic disease in the pediatric clinics of a university hospital between 01 September 2018 and 28 February 2019. Considering the frequency as 50%, and the deviation as 0.05, the sample size was calculated as 384 mothers, and this number was increased to 400. The data were collected with the face-to-face survey method investigating the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of mothers about fever, with the consent of the mothers first.

Results: According to the results, 55.0% of the mothers had primary school or below education, and 30.0% knew normal body temperature. The temperature was measured by touching the forehead of the child (49.6%) by mothers with primary school or below education level, and with a thermometer (73.5%) by those with a university degree. 74.8% took their child to a health institution on the first day of fever. When the fever increased, 33.7% and 18.3% of the mothers first took off the child’s clothes and gave medication to reduce the fever, respectively. Health personnel were the sources of information about the harms of fever for 52.5% of the mothers.

Conclusion: Our study revealed that mothers’ anxiety about fever is common, and their anxiety negatively affects their approach to the child with fever, which ultimately leads to unnecessary hospital admissions.

Keywords

Mothers, fever, knowledge, child, chronic disease, attitude

Supporting Institution

Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit of Karadeniz Technical University

Project Number

TYL-2018-7824.

References

• 1. Durualp E, Kara FN, Yılmaz V, Alaybeyoğlu K. Kronik hastalığı olan ve olmayan çocukların ve ebeveynlerinin görüşlerine göre yaşam kalitelerinin karşılaştırılması. Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Mecm 2010; 63:55-63.
• 2. Yalnızoğlu Çaka S, Çınar N, Altınkaynak S. Ateşli çocuğa yaklaşım. J Hum Rhythm 2015; 1:133-8.
• 3. Demir F, Sekreter O. Knowledge, attitudes and misconceptions of primary care physicians regarding fever in children: A cross sectional study. Ital J Pediatr 2012; 38:1-7.
• 4. Öztürk Ö, Topan A, Kuzlu Ayyıldız T. Ateş şikâyeti ile acil servise getirilen çocuklarda ateş olgularının değerlendirilmesi. J Health Sci Prof 2015; 2:285-96.
• 5. Erkek N, Senel S, Sahin M, Ozgur O, Karacan C. Parents’ perspectives to childhood fever: Comparison of culturally diverse populations. J Paediatr Child Health 2010; 46:583-7.
• 6. Yıldırım A, Bozaykut A, Dalkan C. 6 ay-6 yaş arası yüksek ateşli çocukların annelerinin ateş bilinç seviyesinin değerlendirilmesi. Türkiye Çocuk Hastalıkları Derg 2014; 8:1-7.
• 7. Chiappini E, Parretti A, Becherucci P, et al. Parental and medical knowledge and management of fever in Italian pre-school children. BMC Pediatrics. 2012; 12:97.
• 8. Lunze K, Hamer DH. Thermal protection of the newborn in resource-limited environments. Journal of Perinatology 2012; 32:317-324.
• 9. Somer A. Çocuklarda Ateş. İstanbul, Selen Yayıncılık, 2014. s.216.
• 10. Çataklı T, Can V, Dallar Y. Annelerin ateş düşürücü kullanma bilgileri yeterli mi? J Pediatr Infect 2012; 6:139-43.
• 11. Conk Z, Başbakkal Z, Yılmaz HB, Bolışık B. Pediatri Hemşireliği. Ankara, Akademisyen Tıp Kitabevi, 2013. s.1005.
• 12. Dong L, Jin J, Lu Y, Jiang L, Shan X. Fever phobia: A comparison survey between caregivers in the inpatient ward and caregivers at the outpatient department in a children’s hospital in China. BMC Pediatrics 2015; 15:163.
• 13. Halıcıoğlu O, Koç F, Aşık Akman S, Teyin A. Ateşli çocuklarda; annelerin evde ateşe yaklaşımı, bilgileri ve sosyo-demografik özellikler ile ilişkisi. İzmir Dr. Behçet Uz Çocuk Hastalıkları Derg 2011; 1:13-9.
• 14. Celasin ŞC, Ergin D, Atman Ü. Yüksek ateş şikâyeti ile hastaneye yatırılan 0-6 yaş grubu çocukları olan annelerin yüksek ateşe ilişkin bilgi ve tutumları. Fırat Tıp Derg 2008; 22:315-22.
• 15. Bertille N, Fournier-Charriere E, Pons G, Chalumeau M. Managing fever in children: National survey of parents’ knowledge and practices in France. PLoS One 2013; 8:e83469.
• 16. Çöl Araz N. Ailelerin ateşli çocuğa yaklaşımı: Bilgi, tutum ve uygulamaları. Türkiye Çocuk Hastalıkları Derg 2013; 1:27-32.
• 17. Cinar ND, Altun İ, Altınkaynak S, Walsh A. Turkish parents’ management of childhood fever: A cross-sectional survey using the PFMS-TR. Australas Emerg Nurs J 2014; 17:3-10.
• 18. Sahm LJ, Kelly M, McCarthy S, O’Sullivan R, Shiely F, Rømsing J. Knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of parents regarding fever in children: A Danish interview study. Acta Paediatrica 2015; 105:69-73.
• 19. Oshikoya AK, Senbanjo OI. Fever in children: Mothers’ perceptions and their home management. Iran J Pediatr 2008; 18:229-36.
• 20. Eliaçık K, Kanık A, Oyman G, ve ark. Ebeveynlerin ateş hakkında bilgi, inanış ve yanlış uygulamaları. ADÜ Tıp Fakültesi Derg 2012; 13:5-7.
• 21. De Bont EG, Francis NA, Dinant GJ, Cals JW. Parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice in childhood fever: an internet-based survey. Br J Gen Pract 2014; 64(618):10-6.
• 22. Sadiq GU, Tom GM, Yahaya SJ, Omotara BA, Nwaosu SC, Sandabe UK. A survey of home management of childhood febrile illnesses in rural communities of Gwoza and Konduga local goverment areas of Borno State, Nigeria. Niger J Pharm Sci 2009; 8:93-101.
• 23. Kılıç R, Tolu Kendir Ö, Sarı Gökay S, Çelik T, Özkaya AK, Yılmaz HL. Çocuklarda ateş ile ilgili ebeveynlerin tutum ve davranışları. J Pediatr Emerg Intensive Care Med 2016; 3:76-85.
• 24. Demir M, Bayat M. Tokat Karşıyaka Doğum ve Çocuk Hastanesi acil servisine yüksek ateş şikayetiyle getirilen 0-5 yaş grubu çocukların annelerinin yüksek ateşle ilgili bilgi ve tutumları. Sağlık Bilimleri Derg (Ek Sayı: Hemşirelik Özel Sayısı). 2005; 14:22-9.
• 25. Akbayram HT. Okul öncesi çocuklarda ateş yönetimi; ebeveynler ne biliyorlar? Ne yapıyorlar? J Pediatr Inf 2021; 15:154-60.
• 26. Poirier MP, Collins EP, McGuire E. Fever phobia: A survey of caregivers of children seen in a pediatric emergency department. Clinical Pediatrics 2010; 49:530-4.
• 27. Stagnara J, Vermont J, Durr F, et al. Parents’ attitudes towards childhood fever. Presse Medicale 2005; 34:1129-65.
• 28. Esenay FI, İşler A, Kurugöl Z, Conk Z, Kotuoğlu G. Annelerin ateşli çocuğa yaklaşımı ve ateş korkusu. Türk Pediatri Arşivi 2007; 42:57-60.
• 29. Al-Nouri L, Basheer K. Mothers’ perceptions of fever in children. J Trop Pediatr 2006; 52:113-9.
• 30. Crocetti M, Moghbeli N, Serwint J. Fever phobia revisited: Have parental misconceptions about fever changed in 20 years? Pediatrics 2001; 107:1241-7.
• 31. Chang LC, Liu CC, Huang MC. Parental knowledge, concerns, and management of childhood fever in Taiwan. J Nurs Res 2013; 21:252-60.
• 32. Baysoy G, Aydoğmuş T, Akın D, Uyan A. Annelerin çocuklarındaki ateşle ilgili bilgi, tutum ve davranışları. Türk Pediatri Arşivi 2005; 40:282-289.