The effect of e-Health literacy level in parents of febrile children aged 0–6 on their anxiety and fever management: A descriptive, cross-sectional study

Objectives

This study was designed to examine the effect of parents' e-health literacy levels on their anxiety and fever management.

Method

This descriptive correlational study was conducted with 742 parents who brought their children aged 0–6 years to a training and research hospital in a province in western Turkey due to fever. Data were collected using the Child/Parent Diagnosis and Application Form, the E-Health Literacy Scale, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the Parental Fever Management Scale. The data were analysed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, ANOVA, and Multiple Linear Regression.

Results

The mean age of the parents was 31.10 ± 4.91 years, 81.9 % were mothers, and 50.8 % had a high school education. Parents scored 24.17 ± 6.77 on the e-Health Literacy Scale, 27.70 ± 15.06 on the Anxiety Scale, and 32.48 ± 4.21 on the Fever Management Scale. An increase in parents' e-health literacy was found to have a statistically significant effect on fever management. The model established between fever management and education level was substantial, with an explanatory power of 8.4 %.

Conclusion

E-health literacy was found to be effective in parents' fever management. Raising parents' awareness and supporting them with training on fever management practices are crucial.

Practice implications

Increasing e-health literacy levels in parents is necessary to improve fever management. Nursing interventions aimed at this goal are essential in raising parental awareness about caring for febrile children at home or in the hospital and enhancing fever management success.