mothers' health-seeking behaviors and ignorance of children's fever: a cross-sectional study

Background: fever is a sign of illness in children, but when it cannot be controlled, it can become a serious concern. objectives: this study examines mothers' awareness of their children's fever and how they respond to it. methods: this cross-sectional study was conducted at bandar abbas children's hospital in 2022. mothers were randomly selected and completed a checklist covering their understanding of fever, how to measure it, the measurement tools used, their first action when their child has a fever, and the dose and type of antipyretic used. results: three hundred mothers of children were included in the study; 37% of the participants were illiterate or had less than a diploma, while 62% had a diploma or higher (p = 0.004). sixteen percent did not know what temperature constitutes a fever, and 26% considered a temperature of 37°c or higher to be a fever. approximately 18% of the participants reported a temperature of 37.5°c as a fever (p < 0.05). a total of 85% of mothers preferred to use acetaminophen, with a few preferring ibuprofen as a fever reducer. the majority of mothers administered acetaminophen every 6 hours, with only 8.35% giving it every 4 hours. conclusions: most mothers in this study did not have accurate knowledge of how to treat and care for a child with a fever, especially those with lower education levels. we recommend that a comprehensive program be organized to increase mothers' awareness of managing children's fever.