Parental assessment of disease severity in febrile children under 5 years of age: a qualitative study.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To explore how parents judge disease severity of their febrile child and to identify symptoms they associate with serious illness, minor illness or health.

Design

Semistructured interviews were conducted. Interviews were audio taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.

Participants

Parents of children aged 0-5 years with a febrile illness.

Setting

Participants were recruited at the paediatric ward and the emergency department.

Results

Twenty-six interviews were conducted, in which 37 parents participated. Parents described disease severity of their child mainly in terms of changes in their child's normal characteristics (behaviour and physical features). They found it harder to describe specific disease symptoms such as dyspnoea or

SUBMITTER: Kuijpers DL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8098985 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature