Apprehensive parents: a qualitative study of parents seeking immediate primary care for their children |
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Authors: | Marjolijn Hugenholtz Christian Br?er Rineke van Daalen |
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Affiliation: | Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | BackgroundChildren are more frequent users of out-of-hours primary care than other age groups, although their medical problems are less urgent.AimTo gain insight into the health-seeking behaviour of parents who ask for immediate medical attention for their children.Design of studyQualitative analysis of interviews and telephone calls.SettingA general practice out-of-hours cooperative that caters for approximately 300 000 people in The Netherlands.MethodA semi-structured interview was conducted with 27 parents who had consulted their own GP or an out-of-hours facility for primary care because they wanted urgent medical attention for their child who was sick. Forty-four telephone calls from parents seeking medical care for a child were analysed.ResultsRecognising symptoms in a child started with the observation of a deviation from the child''s normal appearance or behaviour. Parents decided to contact medical services when they felt they lost control of the situation. Most parents consulted because they wanted to rule out or prevent serious disease, not because of the condition itself; not wanting to take a risk with their child was an important motivation. In an attempt to rule out serious disease at home, parents also attempted diagnostic procedures they had copied from professionals.ConclusionWorry of parents and their health-seeking behaviour can be seen as an expression of the central role of risk regulation in modern society. Doctors need to realise their own contribution to the way parents want to rule out serious disease in their children. Improving parents'' knowledge will not solve the problem of inappropriate use of out-of-hours facilities. |
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Keywords: | after-hours care child family practice health behaviour parents risk |
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