The Relationship between the Health Literacy Levels of Parents Having Children Aged 1 Month to 5 Years and their Fever Management-Related Knowledge and Practices

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the health literacy levels of parents having children aged 1 month to 5 years and their fever management-related knowledge and practices. Method: The research was conducted with 120 parents who agreed to participate in the study, which was applied to the child outpatient clinics of a state hospital in the Ödemiş district of Izmir. The data were collected between July 16 and December 31, 2019 by the face-to-face interview method. Data was collected using the sociodemographic questionnaire, the Fever Management Scale of Parents, and the Rehealth Literacy Scale. Results: Of the parents participating in the study, 91 (75.8%) were mothers of their children, 63 (52.5%) were boys. 75.8% of the families had previously presented to the hospital due to fever, and 37.5% of the children were hospitalized due to high fever. It was determined that 53.3% of the parents who participated in the study had previously received information about fever, and 85.9% of the people who received information received information from healthcare professionals. It was found that 95.8% of the families were afraid of fever and 52.5% were afraid that the child had seizures. The correlation between the mother’s age variable and the Parental Fever Management Scale scores and between the father’s age variable and the Parental Fever Management Scale scores was negative. Conclusion: Although the families have a good level of knowledge about the fever, they are afraid when their children have a fever. There was no relationship between health literacy and fever management knowledge levels.