Anxiety and uncertainty in Korean mothers of children with febrile convulsion: cross-sectional survey.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to assess the level of anxiety and uncertainty in Korean mothers of children with febrile convulsion and to identify factors associated with maternal anxiety.

BACKGROUND

In general, febrile convulsions are harmless to the child, but parents perceive the convulsion as frightening. Previous authors of a few studies suggested that providing information was helpful for parents' knowledge, attitude and fear about a febrile convulsion.

DESIGN

This was a descriptive, cross-sectional survey.

METHODS

The sample comprised 102 mothers whose children had been diagnosed with a febrile convulsion and admitted to paediatric wards in five general hospitals in South Korea. The researchers gave the questionnaires to nursing departments for distribution and collection by paediatric nurses. To test differences in anxiety and uncertainty by participants' characteristics, t-tests and anova were conducted. Linear regression was used to identify factors associated with maternal state anxiety. Statistical significance level was set at 0.05.

RESULTS

A multiple linear regression of maternal anxiety showed that four statistically significant predictors explained 56% of the total variations of maternal anxiety. The significant predictors were uncertainty, frequency of febrile convulsion, income and information about febrile convulsion. Among the significant variables, uncertainty was the dominant contributing factor (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Anxiety in mothers of children with febrile convulsion was especially related to uncertainty, so health care providers can reduce anxiety through decreasing uncertainty.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

For interventions to decrease maternal anxiety, provision of information and psychosocial support are needed for parents of hospitalised children with febrile convulsions.