Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs of parents regarding fever in children Conocimiento, actitudes y creencias de los padres ante la fiebre en niños
Academic Article in Scopus
Introduction: fever is one of the main reasons for consultation in pediatrics and a major source of anxiety. In this study, we describe the knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs that parents have about fever. Material and methods: a cross-sectional study was carried out in four medical units in Nuevo León, Mexico. A validated questionnaire was applied to parents with children < 15 years-old; information was collected on the detection and management of fever, knowledge about fever and its possible consequences, as well as the parents' reactions when their children have fever. Results: a total of 323 surveys were analyzed. Most of parents correctly identified the values to define fever, and less than half use a thermometer to measure the temperature. About half use physical means to control fever, and about 75% drugs, but the dosing interval is highly variable. Lastly, more than 90% stated that they had some level of anxiety in the face of fever. Conclusions: parental knowledge to identify and manage fever is poor. This information should serve for the health team to carry out educational interventions so that parents know what to do when their children have fever.
