Mothers' Knowledge of Infants' Fever Management: A National Prospective Study.

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Public Health
• Maternal and Child Health

Background:

• Infant fever management is a critical aspect of newborn care.
• Maternal knowledge significantly impacts infant health outcomes.
• Understanding factors influencing maternal knowledge is crucial for effective public health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess mothers' knowledge of infant fever management post-birth and at six months.
• To explore associations between knowledge and sociodemographic factors, support, and education sources.
• To identify determinants of knowledge change over the first six months postpartum.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 2804 mothers completed self-reporting questionnaires post-birth in Israeli hospitals.
• Follow-up telephone interviews were conducted six months after childbirth.
• Data analysis examined knowledge levels, influencing factors, and knowledge change.

Main Results:

• Maternal knowledge of infant fever management was initially low (50.5%) but improved to moderate (65.2%) by six months.
• First-time mothers and those with lower income or education exhibited lower initial knowledge but showed the greatest improvement.
• Perceived support and consultation sources (partner, family, nurses, physicians) did not correlate with knowledge; self-learning from media was as frequent as formal health education.

Conclusions:

• Public health policies are essential to enhance maternal knowledge of infant fever management.
• Interventions should target first-time mothers, those with non-academic education, and lower-income families.
• Improved communication and accessible self-learning resources in healthcare settings are recommended.