Scope of Mothers’ Knowledge Regarding Child Fever Management in Ranya city/Kurdistan Regional Government of Iraq
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15218/ejnm.2020.18Keywords:
Child, Mothers, Fever Management, Knowledge, Primary Health CareAbstract
Background and objective: Children’s caregivers around the world are often unaware of the level of body temperature that indicates a fever. The way that they deal with a feverish child is sometimes incorrect or inappropriate. This study aimed to assess the mothers’ knowledge regarding fever management of a child under the age of five.
Methods: A quantitative descriptive study was carried out in Ranya in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq in 2018-2019. A purposive sample of 120 participants was initially selected from the mothers who attended two Primary Healthcare Centers (Kewarash and Paparin) in Ranya. The questionnaire was utilized as a tool for data collection, and both descriptive and inferential statistical methods were used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistical data analysis included frequencies, percentages, and mean scores and the inferential statistical data analysis provided mean scores and Chi-square.
Results: A total of 110 mothers participated in the study after the exclusion of 10 women. The findings showed that 76% of participants did not know which measurement is the best to measure child temperature, 82% were not sure about the best place to take child’s temperature, and 63% did not have knowledge about what temperature is considered to be a fever. According to the results, 72% of mothers believed that a cold sponge or ice pack is suitable for lowering body temperature, while 87% of mothers knew the most common complication of high fever. There was a positive association between level of education and mothers' knowledge regarding child fever management.
Conclusions: While mothers have some knowledge about fever and its management, they are unable to utilize this knowledge correctly. An educational program should be developed for mothers who attend primary healthcare centres to teach them about child fever management.
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References
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