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Exploring nasal irrigation practices: an exploratory study on parents' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in a
Damla Hanalioglu1,2, Rukiye Soykok1, Dilek Kaya1
1Pediatric Emergency Clinic, Ankara Bilkent City Hospital, Ankara, Türkiye.
Insights
Parents often lack knowledge about nasal irrigation for young children, despite its common use for congestion. Educational initiatives are needed to improve understanding and safe practices for effective nasal cleaning.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Respiratory Care
Background:
- Nasal irrigation is a safe, low-cost method for managing nasal issues in infants and young children.
- Understanding parental knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors is crucial for promoting effective nasal hygiene practices.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore parents' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors concerning nasal irrigation in children aged 0-24 months.
- To identify gaps in parental understanding and assess the effectiveness of current nasal cleaning practices.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, exploratory study surveyed 107 parents of young children in a Pediatric Emergency Department.
- Data collected included demographics, nasal cleaning practices, and knowledge/attitudes towards nasal irrigation.
- Responses were analyzed and compared across three age groups (0-6, 7-12, 13-24 months).
Main Results:
- Nasal irrigation was primarily used for congestion (79%) and breathing difficulties (44%), often daily.
- Syringes and normal saline were preferred tools, yet only 3.7% of parents answered all knowledge questions correctly.
- Younger infants' parents (0-6 months) showed less accurate head positioning knowledge (p=0.025).
Conclusions:
- Most parents possess inadequate knowledge regarding nasal irrigation for young children.
- Targeted educational programs and awareness campaigns are essential to improve parental understanding and promote effective nasal irrigation techniques.
Objectives:
Nasal irrigation is a safe and low-cost procedure. This study explores parents' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding nasal irrigation for young children.
Methods:
We conducted a prospective, exploratory study at Ankara Bilkent City Hospital from August to September 2024, surveying parents of patients aged 0-24 months in the Pediatric Emergency Department. The survey collected data on demographic information, nasal cleaning practices, and related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Data was compared across three age groups: 0-6 months (Group 1), 7-12 months (Group 2), and 13-24 months (Group 3).
Results:
A total of 107 parents participated. Nasal irrigation was most commonly used for nasal congestion (79%) and difficulty breathing (44%), and was mainly performed once a day (30%) or 2-3 times a day (26%). The most preferred tools for nasal irrigation were syringes (58%) and normal saline solution (81%). Seventy-four participants stated they were effectively performing nasal irrigation. Twenty-one reported receiving training on nasal irrigation, and 36 expressed a desire to receive training on nasal irrigation. Only four (3.7%) participants correctly answered all the knowledge-assessment questions about nasal irrigation, while 19 (17.8%) responded accurately to six out of seven questions. The median total score was 4 [3-5], and there was no significant difference between the groups (Group 1: 5 [3-5], Group 2: 4 [3-5], Group 3: 4 [3-5], 4 [3-5], p = 0.972). No significant association was found between the employment status of the parents and the total score (p = 0.494 and p = 0.645, respectively). Parents in Group 1 demonstrated a lower frequency of correctly answering the statement regarding accurate head positioning during nasal irrigation (p = 0.025).
Conclusion:
Most parents of young children presented to the pediatric emergency department have insufficient knowledge of nasal irrigation. Targeted educational initiatives and awareness campaigns are needed to enhance parents' understanding and promote the effective use of nasal irrigation.
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