Gorączka u dzieci – decyzje rodziców dotyczące farmakoterapii

Abstract

IntroductionFever is one of the most common symptoms of children illnesses and it raises significant concern among parents, who seek to reduce it as soon as possible. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to determine the parental decision to include pharmacotherapy for their children to reduce fever and to analyze the impact of demographic factors on that decision. Material and methodologyThe survey was made by 206 questionnaires voluntarily completed by parents who had custody over a child during their stay in the hospital. Among the respondents 162 (79.41%) correctly interpreted the fever. The questionnaire included questions about demographic data, about the manner of temperature measurement and its interpretation, and about pharmacotherapy decisions. The collected data were analysed using Statistica 6.0. ResultsParents gave medicaments to their children at a temperature of 37 to 39°C; with 83.97% at a temperature of at least 38°C. After taking into consideration the measurement method, it was found that 93.46% parents gave antipyretic drugs when the child's temperature achieves the value corresponding to fever. Parents of infants and parents with less education gave drugs when the temperature was even lower. Antipyretics pharmacotherapy was used by 74.6% of the parents before professional consultation. 67.31% of the parents implemented medications at the time of the diagnosis of fever, without waiting for its further increase. 52.86% of the respondents seek medical advice as early as it was possible – on the first day of fever in a child, especially parents of infants as well as parents with their first child. ConclusionsAlmost all parents use antipyretics when the child's temperature achieves the value corresponding to fever. Usually the decision of antipyretics use was made before medical advice. Above half of the parents went to an outclinic with the child to seen a physician on the first day of fever.