Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Mothers towards Home Management of Fever in Children under five - At Masaad Village- Gezira State-Sudan 2013 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfilment for the Requirement of the PhD in Paediatric Nursing ~

Abstract

Background: Fever is a common medical problem in children which ofien prompts parents to seek immediate medical care. 20 and 40% of patents reported such an illness each year. As a result, fever is probably the conmionest reason for a child to be taken to the doctor. Feverisli illness is also the second most common reason for a child being admitted to hospital. The overall objective was to study mothers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices about home management of childhood fever in order to provide data for further study or suggest plan for actions. » ' Methodology: community based cross -sectional descriptive study conducted at Masaad village in the Gazera Statel The study subjects were 332 mothers of under five of children. Cluster sampling technique was used to draw the study sample. A standardized administered questionnaire was developed, pretested and used to generate quantitative data and four focus groups discussion for qualitative data. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 15. Results: About 80% of the respondents defined fever as hotness of all body. However 84% of the respondents did not know the normal body temperature.79% _ of the respondents did not know the beneficial effects of fever. In addition about 80% of the respondents recognized fever by touching the child's body by the palm of the hand. Aspirin from drug seller was the commonest drug used by most of respondents to treat fever. Moreover application of tepidsponing using cold water on the head of the child was the commonest physical method used by 63%of respondents. 62% of respondents their source of knowledge was doctors. Convulsion was the commonest (57%) harm effect experienced by respondents. The study point out highly significant relationship between educational level of respondents and knowledge about normal range of body temperature P value 0.001. While the study revealed insignificant relationship between educational level and methods of recognition of fever P value 0.232.Study point out insignificant relationship between suitable type of water for tepidsponing and educational level 0.824 and age p value 0.771. Conclusion the result revealed that the knowledge of mothers about fever was poor and there were excessive and widespread uses of antipyretics by mothers to their children at ages less than five years that could be hannful for their children. X