Knowledge, attitude and behaviors of mothers regarding acute respiratory infections

AİM: In this study, it has been tried to evaluate parent?s knowledge, general attitudes and behaviors on acute respiratory tract illnesses; to find out emergent and serious illness facts about acute respiratory tract illnesses; to calculate current knowledge on antibiotic usage and determine attitudes and show knowledge deficiencies and errors.METHOD: In this study, 122 mothers applying to the Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University Training and Research Hospital Pediatrics and Family Practice Unit because of their 1-16 year children?s illness have been taken. Some questionnaires that have been prepared to evaluate socio-demographic features of mother?s, childhood acute respiratory tract illnesses and mother?s knowledge, attitude and behavior levels on fever and antibiotic usage have been used.RESULTS: It has been seen that 34.4 % of mothers have primary school education level, while 13.1%, 23.8 %, 13.9 % and 10.7 % of them have secondary school, high school, college, faculty education levels respectively. While 58.1 % of children apply to the doctor due to coughing problem, 40.9 % of them do it for fever complaint. Before applying, 28.6 % of mothers use antibiotic and 27.8 % of them use antipyretic. It has been found that 9% of mothers do not have thermometer at their homes. According to 36% of mothers, body temperature of 38 degree could be called fever, while 24.5 %, 19.6 %, 37.5 % and 8.1 % define fever as something having the body temperature of 37, 37.5, 38.5 respectively. The most common factor given as the reason for acute respiratory tract illnesses was microbes with a percentage of 59.8 %. 41.8 % of mothers have stated that they did not know any antibiotic names. The percentage of antibiotic usage without prescription has been specified as 12.3 %.CONCLUSİON: It has been seen that mothers do not know exactly the emergent and serious illness facts about acute respiratory tract illnesses, that that have some deficiencies in fever knowledge level, attitude and behaviors and that they have some faulty attitudes in their usage of antibiotics.