Parental Knowledge Regarding Acute Respiratory Infections among their Children

Objective: To assess parents knowledge on acute respiratory infections (ARIs) among their children. Subjects and Methods: This study was conducted on 400 parents attending Al-Manhal Primary Health Care Center to receive health care for their children. A special questionnaire was used to interview parents. It comprised personal characteristic, knowledge of parents about acute respiratory infusions (ARIs) among children and sources of parents information. Results: There was a widely lacking knowledge among most interviewed parents. Areas of knowledge deficiency included antibiotics, ARIs symptoms necessitating immediate physician consultation and ARIs prevention. Most parents correctly answered the questions related to parts of the respiratory system and modes of respiratory infections (93% and 80%, respectively). The television was the main source for knowledge (59.3%), while health care providers constituted the main knowledge source for about one third of parents only (37.8%). Significantly positive correlations existed between parents knowledge scores and their age, duration of marriage, and number of children (p 0.001 for all variables). Mothers had significantly better knowledge grades than fathers (p 0.001). Knowledge grades of all illiterate parents and those who attained primary level of education only were poor, while better knowledge grades were significantly associated with higher education (p 0.001). Knowledge grades were worst with least number of children, while highest among parents with highest number of children. Knowledge grades of parents whose sick child aged 10 years were significantly poorer than those who aged 10 years (p 0.001). Parents knowledge related to ARIs among children was significantly poorer when the internet was the main source for their knowledge (p 0.001). Conclusions: Parents knowledge about ARIs among children is lacking. Mothers have significantly better knowledge grades than fathers. Weak areas of parents knowledge include antibiotics, symptoms necessitating immediate physician consultation and ARIs prevention. Parents knowledge is based mainly on their practical experience on ARIs among their children. Television is the main source for parents knowledge, while health care providers constitute the main knowledge source for about one third of parents only. Recommendations: Well planned health educational TV messages should be aired for the public. Parents should be warned against information included in inadequate internet websites.