Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices of Mothers towards a Febrile Child | ||||
| Journal of High Institute of Public Health | ||||
| Article 15, Volume 31, Issue 4, October 2001, Page 949-968 | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jhiph.2001.229162 | ||||
 View on SCiNiTO | ||||
| Author | ||||
| Azza F. Abou EL Naga* | ||||
| Community Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| This study aimed at exploring maternal knowledge, attitudes and practices towards febrile children as well as to investigate the relation between some socio- demographic factors and practices carried out by mothers during the child's febrile period. A domiciliary interview survey in 30 clusters was carried out. A convenience sample of ten eligible mothers per cluster was selected randomly. Slightly less than half [48.67%] of surveyed mothers recognized fever by touching the forehead of the child. About three fifths of them were unaware about the right site [59.33%] and duration [63.00%] of thermometer use. More than one third [36.67%] didn't know the range of normal body temperature. Measuring rectal temperature was not preferred by more than three fourths [78.67%] of the sample. Slightly less than half [47.34%] considered temperature less than 38.0°C to be fever, more than one fifth [21.67%] believed that a febrile temperature, if left untreated, could rise to 42.0°C or higher and slightly less than half [48.33%] believed that temperature less than 40.0°C could cause serious complications. Slightly less te than one fourth [24.33%] advocated antipyretic medications for temperature less than 38.0°C. Also, 17.67% of mothers were not worried from fever, 36.33% were little worried, 17.33% were worried and 28.67% were very worried. Significant differences were observed between less worried and more worried groups of mothers regarding certain practices carried out by them during children's fever as frequency of temperature check per 24 hours, pharmacological management, awaking the child at night to treat fever and taking other extra measures during the febrile period. About 60% of mothers referred relatives with being the main source of dan pena information. Maternal age was significantly associated with certain practices as frequency of hids wear de checking temperature and awaking the child at night to treat fever. Maternal education was significantly associated with all studied practices except awaking the child at night to treat fever. Working mothers were significantly less encountered among those who checked temperature more than 4 times per 24 hours as well as among those who gave antibiotics without physician's advice. Number of children was not found to be significantly associated with any practice except with pharmacological management. This study had recommended educational intervention programs to provide information that can be effectively improve mothers' poor knowledge, negative attitudes and inadequate practices. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| Knowledge; Attitudes; Practices; Mothers; Febrile Child | ||||
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