This Article Full Text (OnlineFirst PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Rupe, A. Articles by Wittler, R. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Rupe, A. Articles by Wittler, R. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

A Comparison of Perceptions of Fever and Fever Phobia by Ethnicity

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rwittler{at}kumc.edu.

	Abstract

Background. The purpose of our study was to compare caregiver perceptions of fever between ethnicities in a population with a large percentage of Hispanics. Methods. A 20-item, cross-sectional survey was collected from English- and Spanish-speaking parents of children. Questions addressed level of parental worry, parental definition of fever and high fever, and other items related to fever and its potential outcomes and treatments. Results. Responses indicated 57% of all parents report being "very worried" when their child is febrile. Results also indicated that parental fear of fever varies by race. Worry was also significantly higher in parents of younger children, and in parents with fewer years of education. However, Hispanic ethnicity was the single most predictive factor for fever worry. Conclusions. Fever phobia continues to exist. The prevalence appears to differ by ethnicity, making it important for physicians to use every patient encounter for culturally sensitive fever education.

First published on May 15, 2009
Clinical Pediatrics 2009, doi:10.1177/0009922809336208


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?