Parental knowledge, attitude, concern practice toward febrile convulsion in Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia (HUSM)
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Date
2011-04
Authors
Hui, Lew Ya
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan, Universiti Sains Malaysia
Abstract
Introduction: Febrile convulsion (FC), also known as a fever fit or febrile seizure, is
the most common seizure disorder that occurs in childhood after age one month. The
majority of parents were frightened on witnessing FC in their children. Purpose: To
explore the level of parents' knowledge, attitude, concern, and practices (KACP)
regarding FC at Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia. Method: A cross-sectional study
conducted over a period of two months with 55 respondents fulfilling the study
criterias were recruited. Respondent's level of KACP was measured using FC parental
KACP questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using descriptive,
independent t-test, Pearson's correlation and one-way ANOVA test. Results: The
knowledge score of respondents regarding FC was not very satisfactory with mean
score of knowledge was only 3.18±1. 71. The total scores of attitude were 25.2±8.28,
concern 37.4±6.06 and practices 6.51±1.47. Lack of knowledge caused parents to
have extremely high concern, negative attitude and moderate practice toward their FC
children and this result was significant when tested with Pearson's correlation test
(P=0.002). The most common fear expressed was brain injury (87.3%), FC can be
outgrown (83.7%) and the child might die from the seizure (45.5%). There were no
associations between demographic factors with parental KACP toward FC (P>0.05).
Conclusion: It can be concluded that there is a need to provide more awareness for
improvement among parents to update their knowledge in caring for a child with FC.
Enhancing knowledge can help the parents to intervene and allay fears when
witnessing their child in an acute FC episode.
Description
Keywords
Seizures , Febrile