Psychometric properties of the parents' fever management scale in a Turkish population

Aim: This paper reports a study designed to assess the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of a Turkish version of the Australian Parents’ Fever Management Scale (PFMS). Background: Little is known about childhood fever management among Turkish parents. No scales to measure parents’ fever management practices in Turkey are available. Design: This is a methodological study. Methods: Eighty parents, of febrile children aged six months to five years, were randomly selected from the paedaitric hospital and two community family health centers in Sakarya, Turkey. The PFMS was back translated; language equivalence and content validity were validated. PFMS and socio-demographic data were collected in 2009. Means and standard deviations were calculated for interval level data and p values greater than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Unrotated principal component analysis was used to determine construct validity and Cronbach’s coefficient alpha determined the internal consistency reliability. Results: The PFMS was psychometrically sound in this population. Construct validity, confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis [KMO 0.812, Bartlett’s Specificity (χ² = 182.799, df=28, P < 0·001)] revealed the Turkish version to be comprised of the eight original PFMS items. Internal consistency reliability coefficient was 0.80 and the scale’s total-item correlation coefficients ranged from 0.15 to 0.66 and were significant (p<0.001). Interestingly parents reported high scores on the PFMS 34.52±4.60 (range 8-40 with 40 indicating a high burden of care for febrile children). Conclusion: The PFMS was as psychometrically robust in a Turkish population as in an Australian population and is, therefore, a useful tool for health professionals to identify parents’ practices, provide targeted education thereby in reducing the unnecessary burden of care they place on themselves when caring for a febrile child. Relevance to clinical practice. Testing in different populations, cultures and healthcare systems will further assist in reporting the PFMS usefulness in clinical practice and research

Breastfeeding Twins: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the needs and difficulties of mothers who had multiple babies at Sakarya County by focusing on their breastfeeding experience. Ten mothers who gave birth to multiple infants participated in the study voluntarily. The framework method of data analysis was applied systematically both within and across cases, with categories and themes identified by reading transcripts of interviews. Major themes generated from focus narrative interviews are described. These themes are: willingness of mothers to breastfeed and continue, management of breastfeeding, use of pacifier, daily life, \u131nstructions of healthcare personnel, and advices from practice of experienced mothers. This study showed that women were aware of the importance of mother\u2019s milk for their babies. They all, somehow, made intensive efforts to breastfeed their twins. Women who expect and/or have multiple babies need much more support and guidance, which may include advice for nutritional and daily care

Smoking status in parents of children hospitalized with a diagnosis of respiratory system disorders

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the statuses of hospitalized children with diagnosis of respiratory tract disease with cigarette use in the parents. This descriptive study was conducted in a Gowerment Hospital in the Sakarya city center in Turkey between June 2007 and June 2008. The inclusion criterion was willingness of families with children hospitalized due to diagnosis of respiratory disease to particípate in the study. Data were collected from 345 parents using the questionnaire prepared by researchers. In our study parental smoking was observed in 42.3% of fathers, 7.8% mothers and for 20.9% both parents were smoking. It was found that the hospitalization rates were more than two times higher in children diagnosed with pneumonia and bronchitis and three times higher in children hospitalized for asthma whose parents smoke at home compared to those whose parents are non-smokers. Health care professionals who take care of children need to discuss the harmful effects of smoking and the importance of reducing childhood exposure to secondhand smoke; parents should be educated and encouraged not to smoke

Smoking status in parents of children hospitalized with a diagnosis of respiratory system disorders

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the statuses of hospitalized children with diagnosis of respiratory tract disease with cigarette use in the parents. This descriptive study was conducted in a Gowerment Hospital in the Sakarya city center in Turkey between June 2007 and June 2008. The inclusion criterion was willingness of families with children hospitalized due to diagnosis of respiratory disease to particípate in the study. Data were collected from 345 parents using the questionnaire prepared by researchers. In our study parental smoking was observed in 42.3% of fathers, 7.8% mothers and for 20.9% both parents were smoking. It was found that the hospitalization rates were more than two times higher in children diagnosed with pneumonia and bronchitis and three times higher in children hospitalized for asthma whose parents smoke at home compared to those whose parents are non-smokers. Health care professionals who take care of children need to discuss the harmful effects of smoking and the importance of reducing childhood exposure to secondhand smoke; parents should be educated and encouraged not to smoke

Turkish parents' management of childhood fever: A cross-sectional survey using the PFMS-TR

PMID = 2450717

Breastfeeding Twins: A Qualitative Study

The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the needs and difficulties of mothers who had multiple babies at Sakarya County by focusing on their breastfeeding experience. Ten mothers who gave birth to multiple infants participated in the study voluntarily. The framework method of data analysis was applied systematically both within and across cases, with categories and themes identified by reading transcripts of interviews. Major themes generated from focus narrative interviews are described. These themes are: willingness of mothers to breastfeed and continue, management of breastfeeding, use of pacifier, daily life, ınstructions of healthcare personnel, and advices from practice of experienced mothers. This study showed that women were aware of the importance of mother’s milk for their babies. They all, somehow, made intensive efforts to breastfeed their twins. Women who expect and/or have multiple babies need much more support and guidance, which may include advice for nutritional and daily care