Turkish parents' management of childhood fever: a cross-sectional survey using the PFMS-TR.

BACKGROUND: To explore Turkish parents' practices in childhood fever management. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 205 randomly selected Turkish parents of febrile children 6-months to 5-years from the paediatric hospital and two family health centres in Sakarya, Turkey in 2009. Data explored general fever management practices on the 8-item Parents' Fever Management Scale - Turkish version (5-point Liket scale; 1=never to 5=always) and socio-demographics. RESULTS: Parents wanted to know their child's temperature (61.5%), took temperatures (60%), slept in the same room (58.5%) and sought medical advice (53.7%). Non-evidence-based-practices included over-the-counter medications (42.4%); waking children during the night for fever reducing medication (33.2%). Evidence-based-practice ensured febrile children had plenty to drink (30.2%) and febrile children were checked during the night (59%). CONCLUSIONS: Parents' reports indicate high levels of concern about fever, overuse of over-the-counter medications and health services. Practices increase parents' burden of care, are disruptive of family life and lead to parental fatigue. The study confirms the appropriateness and applicability of the fever management instrument, a simple tool to incorporate into assessment of febrile children, in identifying Turkish parents' fever management practice.

Intentional sun exposure in infancy in Sakarya, Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the extent of intentional sun exposure in infancy, and the prevalence of maternal belief that potentially increases the children's harm risk from ultraviolet radiation. The major determinants of mothers' beliefs and behaviors regarding sunning were also assessed. METHODS: Three hundred and ninety six Caucasian women mothering 0-12 month old infants, attending to Sakarya State Hospital Healthy Infant outpatient clinic in November 2003, filled in the questionnaire after giving their informed consent. Each mother was asked 11 structured questions regarding maternal education, beliefs regarding benefits or harms of sun exposure, use of sunlight for therapeutic purposes, use of sun protection, and source of knowledge. RESULTS: The mean age of the mothers was 27.37 +/- 5.36 years and the children was 5.71 +/- 3.53 months. Two hundred and thirty-five mothers (64.1%) believed that sunlight is harmful, but 296 (79.7%) named one benefit of intentional baby sunning. Sun causes cutaneous diseases was the most frequently (n=83/126) mentioned harm and sun strengthens bones and teeth was the number one (n=250/296) benefit according to the mothers. The leading source of knowledge for the beneficial effects of the sun was health care professionals (physician, midwife, nurse) 45.7% (130/284). There was no significant correlation between mothers' sunning behavior and age, education level, being advised so by a health care professional or believing that the sun was harmful. CONCLUSION: As these results display being the leading source of knowledge and initiative of healthy/risky behaviors, primary health care physicians/workers have to be informed regarding the vitamin D supplementation and risks of sun exposure.