Nabil Ahmed Kamal Badawy
Public Authority for Applied Education and Training, Kuwait
Title: Kuwaiti parent’s knowledge of their children’s fever and their patterns of use of over the counter antipyretics
Biography
Biography: Nabil Ahmed Kamal Badawy
Abstract
Background: Many parents consider fever a disease with the continuation of fever phobia and overuse of antipyretics to reduce it.
Aims: Identifying Kuwaiti parent’s knowledge of their children’s fever and determining their patterns of use of over the counter antipyretics.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study, in which 614 Kuwaiti mothers of well children aged between six month and five years were recruited. Data was collected over six-months from September 2015 to March 2016, using a self-administered questionnaire.
Results: A total of 614 mothers participated in the study, with a response rate of 94.5 per cent. Twenty-seven per cent (27%) (166) of mothers considered a temperature ≤38.5°C to be a high fever. Educational attainment significantly influenced mothers reports for high fever (F=4.68, df.=4, P=0.001, n=207). Almost all the mothers believed that fever could cause harm, and 48% (294) of them stated that fever is very harmful. Fifty-three per cent (53%) of mothers (309) would give antipyretic medication when body temperature is ≤38°C. Sixty-one per cent (375) of the mothers had alternated antipyretic paracetamol and ibuprofen. Forty-five per cent (274) of mothers think that antipyretics are without potential harm. Level of education had a positive impact on the perception of fever [χ2 (df=8)=70.68, p<0.001]. Usual practices targeted temperature reduction using antipyretics by 53.7%.
Conclusion: Mothers had a poor knowledge about fever. Fever phobia is widespread, with an overuse of antipyretics.