Odinaka Kelechi Kenneth, Edelu Benedict O, Nwolisa Emeka Charles, Amamilo Ifeyinwa B, Okolo Seline N
Department of Paediatrics, Madonna University Teaching Hospital, Elele, Rivers State, Nigeria.
Department of Paediatrics, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria.
Niger Med J. 2014 Jul;55(4):338-41. doi: 10.4103/0300-1652.137226.
Many mothers still rely on palpation to determine if their children have fever at home before deciding to seek medical attention or administer self-medications. This study was carried out to determine the accuracy of subjective assessment of fever by Nigerian mothers in Under-5 Children.
Each eligible child had a tactile assessment of fever by the mother after which the axillary temperature was measured. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 19 (IBM Inc. Chicago Illinois, USA, 2010).
A total of 113 mother/child pairs participated in the study. Palpation overestimates fever by 24.6%. Irrespective of the surface of the hand used for palpation, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of tactile assessment were 82.4%, 37.1%, 51.9% and 71.9%, respectively. The use of the palmer surface of the hand had a better sensitivity (95.2%) than the dorsum of the hand (69.2%). The use of multiple sites had better sensitivity (86.7%) than the use of single site (76.2%).
Tactile assessment of childhood fevers by mothers is still a relevant screening tool for the presence or absence fever. Palpation with the palmer surface of the hand using multiple sites improves the reliability of tactile assessment of fever.
许多母亲在决定寻求医疗帮助或自行用药之前，仍依靠触诊来判断孩子在家中是否发烧。本研究旨在确定尼日利亚5岁以下儿童母亲对发烧进行主观评估的准确性。
每位符合条件的儿童在母亲进行发烧触诊评估后，测量其腋窝温度。使用SPSS 19版（美国伊利诺伊州芝加哥市IBM公司，2010年）进行统计分析。
共有113对母婴参与了该研究。触诊对发烧的高估率为24.6%。无论用于触诊的手部表面如何，触诊评估的敏感性、特异性、阳性预测值（PPV）和阴性预测值（NPV）分别为82.4%、37.1%、51.9%和71.9%。使用手掌表面触诊的敏感性（95.2%）高于手背（69.2%）。使用多个部位触诊的敏感性（86.7%）高于使用单个部位（76.2%）。
母亲对儿童发烧进行触诊评估仍是判断是否发烧的一种相关筛查工具。使用手掌表面在多个部位进行触诊可提高发烧触诊评估的可靠性。
