Fever phobia in Korean caregivers and its clinical implications

Fever is the most common complaint among children brought into the emergency department (ED). 'Fever phobia' is a descriptive term for an unrealistic concern about the consequences of fever. 'Fever phobia' is prevalent among parents and even healthcare providers, worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the implications of fever-phobic ideas in Korean caregivers. A prospective, multi-center survey was conducted on Korean caregivers who visited the EDs with febrile children. In total, 746 caregivers were enrolled. The mean age of the subjects was 34.7 yr (SD±5.0). Three hundred sixty respondents (48.3%) believed that the body temperature of febrile children can reach higher than 42.0℃. Unrealistic concerns about the improbable complications of fever, such as brain damage, unconsciousness, and loss of hearing/vision were believed by 295 (39.5%), 66 (8.8%), and 58 (7.8%) caregivers, respectively. Four hundred ninety-four (66.2%) guardians woke children to give antipyretics. These findings suggest that fever phobia is a substantial burden for Korean caregivers.