Journal of Korean Medical Science

Korean Acad Medical Sciences (대한의학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Fever Phobia in Korean Caregivers and Its Clinical Implications

  • Kwak, Young Ho (Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Do Kyun (Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Jang, Hye Young (Department of Emergency Medicine, Soonchunhyang University Seoul Hospital) ;
  • Kim, Jin Joo (Department of Emergency Medicine, Gachon University Gil Hospital) ;
  • Ryu, Jeong-Min (Pediatric Emergency Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, Asan Medical Center) ;
  • Oh, Seong Beom (Department of Emergency Medicine, Dankook University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Eui Jung (Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Ji Sook (Department of Emergency Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Jin Hee (Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital) ;
  • Jung, Jin Hee (Department of Emergency Medicine, Seoul Metropolitan Boramae Medical Center) ;
  • Han, Seung Baik (Department of Emergency Medicine, Inha University College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2013.04.22
  • Accepted : 2013.09.17
  • Published : 2013.11.01
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Fever is the most common complaint among children brought into the emergency department (ED). 'Fever phobia' is a descriptive term for an unrealistic concern about the consequences of fever. 'Fever phobia' is prevalent among parents and even healthcare providers, worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the implications of fever-phobic ideas in Korean caregivers. A prospective, multi-center survey was conducted on Korean caregivers who visited the EDs with febrile children. In total, 746 caregivers were enrolled. The mean age of the subjects was 34.7 yr (SD${\pm}5.0$). Three hundred sixty respondents (48.3%) believed that the body temperature of febrile children can reach higher than $42.0^{\circ}C$. Unrealistic concerns about the improbable complications of fever, such as brain damage, unconsciousness, and loss of hearing/vision were believed by 295 (39.5%), 66 (8.8%), and 58 (7.8%) caregivers, respectively. Four hundred ninety-four (66.2%) guardians woke children to give antipyretics. These findings suggest that fever phobia is a substantial burden for Korean caregivers.

Keywords

References

  1. Kwak YH, Kim do K, Jang HY. Utilization of emergency department by children in Korea. J Korean Med Sci 2012; 27: 1222-8. https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2012.27.10.1222
  2. Crocetti M, Moghbeli N, Serwint J. Fever phobia revisited: have parental misconceptions about fever changed in 20 years? Pediatrics 2001; 107: 1241-6. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.107.6.1241
  3. Schmitt BD. Fever phobia: misconceptions of parents about fevers. Am J Dis Child 1980; 134: 176-81. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpedi.1980.02130140050015
  4. Karwowska A, Nijssen-Jordan C, Johnson D, Davies HD. Parental and health care provider understanding of childhood fever: a Canadian perspective. CJEM 2002; 4: 394-400. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1481803500007892
  5. Sakai R, Okumura A, Marui E, Niijima S, Shimizu T. Does fever phobia cross borders? the case of Japan. Pediatr Int 2012; 54: 39-44. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1442-200X.2011.03449.x
  6. Taveras EM, Durousseau S, Flores G. Parents' beliefs and practices regarding childhood fever: a study of a multiethnic and socioeconomically diverse sample of parents. Pediatr Emerg Care 2004; 20: 579-87. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.pec.0000139739.46591.dd
  7. Betz MG, Grunfeld AF. 'Fever phobia' in the emergency department: a survey of children's caregivers. Eur J Emerg Med 2006; 13: 129-33. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.mej.0000194401.15335.c7
  8. Purssell E. Parental fever phobia and its evolutionary correlates. J Clin Nurs 2009; 18: 210-8. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2007.02077.x
  9. O'Neill-Murphy K, Liebman M, Barnsteiner JH. Fever education: does it reduce parent fever anxiety? Pediatr Emerg Care 2001; 17: 47-51. https://doi.org/10.1097/00006565-200102000-00014
  10. Tessler H, Gorodischer R, Press J, Bilenko N. Unrealistic concerns about fever in children: the influence of cultural-ethnic and sociodemographic factors. Isr Med Assoc J 2008; 10: 346-9.
  11. Walsh A, Edwards H, Fraser J. Influences on parents' fever management: beliefs, experiences and information sources. J Clin Nurs 2007; 16: 2331-40. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2702.2006.01890.x
  12. Enarson MC, Ali S, Vandermeer B, Wright RB, Klassen TP, Spiers JA. Beliefs and expectations of Canadian parents who bring febrile children for medical care. Pediatrics 2012; 130: e905-12. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-2140
  13. Alpern ER, Alessandrini EA, Bell LM, Shaw KN, McGowan KL. Occult bacteremia from a pediatric emergency department: current prevalence, time to detection, and outcome. Pediatrics 2000; 106: 505-11. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.106.3.505
  14. Hsu K, Pelton S, Karumuri S, Heisey-Grove D, Klein J; Massachusetts Department of Public Health Epidemiologists. Population-based surveillance for childhood invasive pneumococcal disease in the era of conjugate vaccine. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2005; 24: 17-23. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.inf.0000148891.32134.36
  15. Williams A, O'Rourke P, Keogh S. Making choices: why parents present to the emergency department for non-urgent care. Arch Dis Child 2009; 94: 817-20. https://doi.org/10.1136/adc.2008.149823

Cited by

  1. The knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of carers (parents, guardians, healthcare practitioners, crèche workers) around fever and febrile illness in children aged 5 years and under: protocol vol.4, pp.None, 2013, https://doi.org/10.1186/s13643-015-0021-7
  2. 보육교사의 아동발열 관리에 영향을 미치는 요인 vol.22, pp.4, 2013, https://doi.org/10.4094/chnr.2016.22.4.289
  3. La fiebre en el niño: una mirada reflexiva a las prácticas de cuidado vol.35, pp.3, 2013, https://doi.org/10.15446/av.enferm.v35n3.54848
  4. La fiebre en el niño: una mirada reflexiva a las prácticas de cuidado vol.35, pp.3, 2013, https://doi.org/10.15446/av.enferm.v35n3.54848
  5. Appropriateness of transport of children via emergency medical service providers according to the decision-maker on referred hospitals vol.4, pp.2, 2013, https://doi.org/10.22470/pemj.2017.00052
  6. Postvaccination Fever Response Rates in Children Derived Using the Fever Coach Mobile App: A Retrospective Observational Study vol.7, pp.4, 2019, https://doi.org/10.2196/12223
  7. Comparative Analysis of Single and Combined Antipyretics Using Patient-Generated Health Data: Retrospective Observational Study vol.9, pp.5, 2013, https://doi.org/10.2196/21668
  8. Prolonged subfebrile condition in children. Possible causes, diagnostics vol.12, pp.5, 2013, https://doi.org/10.22625/2072-6732-2020-12-5-5-14