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Published on: November 7, 2011
Parents' awareness and knowledge of testicular torsion: A cross-sectional study
Fahad A Alyami1, Nawaf H Modahi2, Ahmed M Alharbi2
1Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, College of Medicine, King Saud University Medical City, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Insights
Parental awareness of testicular torsion (TT) is low, regardless of clinic type. Early recognition of scrotal pain is crucial for timely intervention and preserving testicular health in children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Urology
- Public Health Awareness
- Surgical Emergencies
Background:
- Testicular torsion (TT) is a common pediatric urological emergency.
- Low family awareness can delay diagnosis and testicular salvage.
- Understanding parental knowledge and response is key to improving outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess parental awareness of testicular torsion (TT).
- To identify parents' primary sources of health information.
- To evaluate parental response to pediatric scrotal pain.
Main Methods:
- A quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study.
- Surveyed parents in pediatric urology and general pediatric clinics.
- Compared awareness levels and knowledge sources between groups.
Main Results:
- Awareness of TT was low (19% in urology clinic, 14% in general pediatrics).
- No significant difference in awareness between the two groups.
- Doctors were the primary knowledge source, followed by friends.
Conclusions:
- Community awareness of TT in children is notably low.
- Healthcare providers must prioritize educating families about TT.
- Raising awareness is essential for preventing testicular loss.
Background:
Testicular torsion (TT) is one of the most common emergencies in pediatric urology. Family awareness of this condition could lead to early diagnosis and intervention and salvage of the effected testicle. The purpose of this study is to assess parental awareness about TT and their source of knowledge. We also evaluated the response of the parents to their children's scrotal pain.
Methods:
A quantitative, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2017 to September 2017 at our institution. The study target were parents attending the pediatric urology clinic and the comparison group included parents attending the general pediatric clinic in the same period. We distributed a questionnaire and then compared the results in both groups.
Results:
A total of 200 parents participated in this study (100 parents from each clinic). Nineteen percent of pediatric urology clinic parents were aware and 14% of general pediatric clinic parents were aware about TT with no statistically significant difference observed (P = 0.341). The parents in urology clinic choose doctor as their main source of knowledge (42.1%), while in general pediatric clinic, doctor and through a friend as the main source of knowledge had the same percentage (28.6%). Response of the parents to their children's scrotal pain during working hours in urology and general pediatric clinics was to drive their children to the emergency room immediately with 85% and 82%, respectively. The response of the parents after working hours in both clinics did not show difference, with 83% of parents in pediatric urology clinic and 85% in general pediatric clinic driving their children immediately to the emergency room.
Conclusion:
TT in boys is a common problem we face as pediatric urologists and it may lead to testicular loss if not diagnosed and treated early. We found that the awareness of TT in children is low in our community and it is our responsibility to raise it to improve our children's well-being.
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