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Development and randomized controlled trial of a booklet of advice for parents
1University of Sheffield.
Insights
A parent information booklet on childhood illnesses like cough and fever led to fewer daytime visits but more out-of-hours consultations. This study evaluated its impact on healthcare seeking behavior for common pediatric symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Health Services Research
- Evidence-Based Medicine
Background:
- Parental education on managing common childhood illnesses at home is crucial for appropriate healthcare utilization.
- A practice-developed booklet offered guidance on managing cough, fever, sore throat, diarrhea, and vomiting in children, including when to seek medical attention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effect of distributing a parent information booklet on the frequency of parent-initiated consultations for specific childhood symptoms.
- To assess changes in healthcare seeking behavior, specifically daytime home visits versus out-of-hours consultations.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial was conducted to assess the booklet's impact.
- The study compared consultation rates for 'booklet symptoms' between a group receiving the booklet and a control group.
Main Results:
- The booklet showed a statistically non-significant overall reduction in consultations for the targeted symptoms.
- A significant decrease in daytime home visits for symptoms like cough, fever, and sore throat was observed.
- Conversely, there was a significant increase in out-of-hours consultations for fever, diarrhea, and vomiting.
Conclusions:
- The parent information booklet influenced healthcare seeking behavior, shifting consultations from daytime to out-of-hours.
- While not reducing overall consultations, the booklet effectively reduced less urgent daytime visits for common pediatric symptoms.
- The findings suggest a need to consider the impact on out-of-hours services when implementing such educational tools.
Abstract:
A booklet was developed in the author's practice that provided advice for parents on the home management of cough, fever, sore throat, diarrhoea and vomiting in children, and included specific recommendations about when to seek medical help. The effect of distributing this booklet on the frequency of parent-initiated consultations was evaluated in a randomized, controlled trial. The overall effect of the booklet was a statistically non-significant reduction in consultations for the symptoms that it addressed ('booklet symptoms'). However, this finding masked a statistically significant reduction in daytime home visits for booklet symptoms (especially for cough, fever and sore throat) and a significant increase in out of hours consultations (for fever, diarrhoea and vomiting). Had all the households in the practice been sent a copy of the booklet then it was estimated that over the following year some 28% fewer home visits and some 173% more out of hours consultations would have been undertaken for booklet symptoms than if none of the households had been sent a copy.