Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices toward Acute Respiratory Infection among Parents of Children under Five Years

Abstract

Background: Acute respiratory infection (ARI) causes high morbidity and mortality rates among children. As parents are the main caregivers for these children, it is essential to assess and strengthen their knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAPs) toward ARI. Purpose: To assess KAPs toward ARI among Jordanian and Syrian parents with children under five years, and KAPs relationships with the parental sociodemographic variables. Methods: A cross-sectional design was conducted using a sample of 204 parents (124 Jordanians and 80 Syrians). The data was collected at community associations in Irbid city in the northern part of Jordan, between December 2021 and February 2022. A self-reporting questionnaire was used to measure parents’ KAPs toward ARI in children under five years. Results: The results revealed that 48% of the fathers and 61% of the mothers were educated to college level. The total score of knowledge was 10 out of 18 (SD =2.75), while that of attitudes was 8 out of 12 (SD = 1.97), and that of practices was 4 out of 5 (SD = 0.89). Spearman correlation indicated that mother’s education and father’s education were positively correlated with the knowledge, attitude, and practice scores. Pearson correlation indicated that family income was positively correlated with the attitude and practice scores. Independent sample t-test indicated that Jordanian parents reported significantly higher attitude and practice scores than Syrian parents (p ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: Overall, Jordanian and Syrian parents’ knowledge about ARI in Irbid city is insufficient and mainly correlated with their level of education. Implications for Nursing: The study highlights the need for health education in primary health care centers, public places, and community organizations. Health education should target parents with low socioeconomic status and Syrian refugee parents. Keywords: Acute respiratory infection (ARI), Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices (KAPs), Parents, Children under five years.