O uso do medicamento no tratamento biomédico da febre em crianças de Fortaleza

Abstract

A cross-sectional study was carried out from January 1996 to January 1998 to investigate the perception, attitude and knowledge of mothers and paediatrics about fever, their harmful and their treatment. Data were collected for the study by interviewing: A) 212 mothers who brought their children under 6 years of age to two emergencies services (private and public); B) 317 mothers in their households: C) 96 paediatricians who work in Fortaleza. Out of the 212 mothers interviewed in domicile some 34.0% defined fever as a symptom and some 20.2% of them considered fever a disease. However, to be some 34.0% of the paediatricians define fever as a sign whilst some 30.2% of them stated that fever is a increase of the body temperature Most of the mothers interviewed in domicile (97.8%) and paediatricians (83.0%) believe that fever may cause some health problem, mainly convulsion (60.5% and 82.4%, respectively). The mothers in domicile (26.7%) start some kind of treatment to reduce the body temperature when it reached 38.5°C. The paediatricians opinion differ from the mothers opinions. The main reasons to treat the fever is the temperatures above 38.0°C (38.5%) and risk of febrile convulsion. Metamizole and paracetamol are the antithermics more commonly used by mothers in domicile (51.0% and 29.5%, respectively) and by the mothers who came to emergencies (62.9% and 21.4%.respectively). In the two emergencies the metamizole and paracetamol were more prescribed (52.0%). Metamizole is more often prescribed in public service and paracetamol in private. The study indicates that there is a need to define an educational intervention for mothers in order to reduce the indiscriminate use of antithermics. it also points out need of up dating paediatricians knowledge so that a consensus can be achieved on the fever treatment, based on current scientific knowledge.