ABSTRACT
Acute Respiratory Infection [ARI] is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years of age in developing countries. The knowledge of mothers regarding ARI is inadequate which leads to delayed care seeking and other factors contributing to high mortality. To determine the Knowledge and Practices of mothers regarding Acute Respiratory Infection. Cross-sectional descriptive study. Urban slums of Multan, from April 2010 to March 2011. A semi-structured questionnaire proforma was used to interview 500 mothers selected by stratified random sampling technique from urban slums of Multan. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. Mother's description of the causes of ARI in children was mostly exposures to "Thand" [cold], after bathing, sour and cold foods. Mothers also had inadequate knowledge of severity of symptoms of ARI including pneumonia. About 44% showed prompt care seeking response within 24 hours of ARI and rest [55.8%] showed delayed response to health care seeking. Thirty three percent mothers preferred private doctors to get treatment, 27.2% favored to go to the public sector, and the rest did home remedy i.e. Tea, Honey, Vicks rub and Warm wrapping. The reasonable majority of mothers [58%] did self medication in their children suffering from ARI. Mothers living in urban slums in Multan have insufficient knowledge and inappropriate health care seeking practices regarding management of ARI in their children
ABSTRACT
To assess the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice regarding Expanded Programme of Immunization [EPI] among parents attending Paediatric Department, Nishtar Hospital, Multan. Cross sectional descriptive study. This study was carried out among the parents attending Paediatric medicine and Paediatric Surgery out patients Departments, Nishtar Hospital, Multan for the treatment of their children during the month of September 2011. Two hundred and sixty parents were selected by convenient sampling and surveyed with a self reported questionnaire comprising of questions regarding knowledge attitude and practice about EPI. Data gathered was analyzed and results were obtained to make table. Among 260 parents interviewed, 40 [15.4%] were male and 220 [84.6%] were female. 258 [99.2%] had knowledge about EPI and only 2 [0.8%] had not. According to 242 [93.1%] EPI was beneficial, while 18 [6.9%] thought it to be non beneficial. Children of 197 [75%] parents were fully immunized. 40 [15.38%] were partially immunized and 25 [9.62%] were not immunized at all. 158 [60.8%] parents were educated and 102 [39.2%] were illiterate. Out of 260 parents 214 [82.3%] reported fever/ rash/ itching as a result of vaccination, while 46 [17.7%] were not. Majority of the parents belong to middle class i.e. 137 [52.7%] while 46 [17.7%] rich class and 77 [29.6%] of the lower class. We conclude that there is a significant difference in the knowledge of the parents. Majority of the parents had awareness about EPI. Middle class has greater attitude to get immunized their children as compared to poor and rich class. Our study demonstrates the importance of education in the practice of vaccination of the children