Disease Prevalence, Parent's Educational Needs, and Disease Management according to Severity of Respiratory Infections in Early Childhood

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate disease prevalence, parent's educational needs, and disease management according to severity of respiratory infections in early childhood. METHODS: Participants for this study were 173 mothers whose child was admitted to I university hospital in Seoul and whose child was an infant or toddler. Data were collected from December, 17, 2014 to February, 15, 2015 using self-report structured questionnaires. Data were analyzed using IBM/SPSS 21.0 program. RESULTS: There were significant differences in the severity of respiratory infection according to neonatal admission due to dyspnea, feeding type, atopic dermatitis in the infant or allergic disease in father and siblings. Parent's educational needs for the severe respiratory infection group were higher than for the non-severe group. Parent's disease management for the severe respiratory infection group was lower than the non-severe group. CONCLUSION: As important care factors in neonatal admissions include dyspnea, cow milk feeding, eczema, family history of allergies, parent's educational needs and disease management, they should be considered when caring for young children with respiratory infections and their parents.