Knowledge and Health Belief Model Affecting Fever Management in Children of Caregivers

Abstract

The objectives of this cross-sectional descriptive study were to investigate the health belief model affecting fever management in children of caregivers that included knowledge, perceptions of fever management of the caregivers in the children with fever, and modifying factors concerning caregiver information and children fever information. The sample group was 240 caregivers at six Child Development Centers in Ban Suan Municipality, Muang District, Chonburi province. The caregivers were aged 18 to 65 years and gave one-to-one care to children aged 2 to 4 years old. 

          The instruments were a questionnaire about general information, a knowledge test about fever management in children, a questionnaire about the perception of fever management in children, and a questionnaire about fever management in children of the caregivers. The reliability of this questionnaire, calculated by Cronbach's alpha was .75 to .90. The statistics used included meaning, Standard Deviation (S.D.), Pearson's correlation coefficient, and Multiple Linear Regression.

           The research results found that most samples had an average score of perception of fever management at a moderate level ( =59.30, S.D. = 8.099). Regarding knowledge about  fever management in children of the caregivers, the caregivers had accurate knowledge at a moderate level ( =10.24, S.D. = 2.121). Further, the results indicated the three factors affecting the caregivers' fever management: the caregivers' experience in taking care of the children with fever, knowledge about fever management in children, and perception of fever management in children of the caregivers. The regression equation (Beta) of the Health Belief Model was 0.137, 0.228, and 0.477, respectively. All factors affecting the fever management in children of the caregivers at 43% with a statistically significant of .01.