Millenium (Oct 2024)
Determinants of parental knowledge, practices and expectations in preschool child fever management
Abstract
Introduction: Families constantly interact with the environment, which influences health/disease processes. Fever is a very common manifestation in preschool children, and various parental interventions can be observed that can compromise their natural evolution. To outline good practice documents and protocols, the state of the art must be known, mapping the best scientific evidence. Objective: Systematizing the determinants of knowledge and practices of parents of preschool children faced with a feverish situation. Methods: In accordance with the methodological principles of a “Scoping Review”, proposed by the Joanna Briggs Institute, the following question was defined: “What factors determine parental practices in preschool children regarding fever management?”. To extract the data, the main scientific bases in health were used and later reviewed in Rayan. Results: The 29 studies that emerged were categorized into two groups: internal - education, previous experience, and training in health; External - socio-family network and access to healthcare. Conclusion: The literature found includes studies focusing on the practices of family teams, as they are the resource with the greatest support and proximity. It is essential to use strategies with families, recognizing their behavioral determinants and avoiding the adoption of wrong practices and inadequate use of health services. It is also suggested that integrated management of fever in children at different levels of care be promoted.
