Minor illness in children: parents’ views and use of health services

Abstract

Consultation rates in young children are high, and parents and carers of young children have reported feeling disempowered and anxious when their children display common symptoms. Parents have stated that more information would help them manage these symptoms appropriately. This focus group study explored how parents and carers of young children feel when their child displays common symptoms, what information they need to assist them in appropriate management, and to determine if they would value an educational intervention on the management of common symptoms. Findings showed that many parents sought help from families and friends following negative experiences of seeking advice from health professionals and many were wary of the information presented in health information leaflets produced by pharmaceutical companies. Parents and carers who took part in this study stated that they would value an educational intervention that would help them to appropriately manage common symptoms. They wanted to receive the information through interactive group sessions, led by a health visitor, with the inclusion of simple and non-product biased "take home" materials.

Parental management of childhood complaints: over‐the‐counter medicine use and advice‐seeking behaviours

“…McIntyre et al. (2003) and others (Kai 1996a, Allen et al. 2002) have also cited parental worry about bothering a doctor for minor illness as a factor involved in decision‐making related to undertaking a health behaviour, medicine use or professional consultation.…”

“…2008). Other studies have reported that parents sought advice from family and friends or a pharmacist prior to consulting a doctor (Neill 2000, Allen et al. 2002).…”

Parents’ information needs, self-efficacy and influences on consulting for childhood respiratory tract infections: a qualitative study

“…Two qualitative focus group studies reported that parents sought help from families and friends following negative experiences of seeking advice from health professionals [14], and found that younger mothers sought information on-line to support their own beliefs and to counter conflicting advice offered by health professionals [15]. Sociological reports suggest that the public may become more sceptical of medical authority due to increased access to medical knowledge via the internet [16].…”

Information sources used by parents buying non-prescription medicines in pharmacies for preschool children

“…A UK study of mothers' use of pharmacists for childhood health concerns reflected the importance of branded medicines, and the use of the pharmacist as an alternative or stepping stone to the doctor [11]. A UK study found that families and friends were consulted by parents after a negative experience with health professionals [12]. Many studies of information sources report the perception of parents about their preferred sources: it is important to know how these reported preferences might compare with actual behaviour, through the reported sources that influence a specific medicine purchase.…”