Assessment of mothers’ behavior in preventing febrile convulsion in their children in Arak City: an application of Health Belief Model

Introduction:Febrile convulsion constitutes the most common neurologic disorder, as well as the most common type of convulsion, in children under 6 years of 6. Considering the crucial role of mothers in controlling the disease, as well as the troubling nature of the disease itself, we conducted the present study to assess the behavior of mothers in Arak city regarding prevention of febrile convulsion based on the Health Belief Model.Material and Methods:This is a cross-sectional study on 100 mothers with children under two years of age, referring to healthcare centers in Arak. Data were collected using a questionnaire based on the Health Belief Model (perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits and barriers, and cues to action) and a checklist of mothers’ function in preventing febrile convulsion in their children.Results:The findings of the present study indicated that mothers with poor function had significantly higher levels of perceived barriers compared to others. Moreover, function was significantly lower for illiterate mothers or those with elementary education compared to others. In addition, mothers with lower education and poor function had lower levels of perceived susceptibility (p<0.05).Conclusion:Since most mothers in our study functioned poorly in preventing febrile convulsion, which may be improved with increased awareness, and perceived susceptibility, severity and benefits and decreased perceived barriers, it is recommendable to consider an elaborate educational program based on the Health Belief Model for mothers in order to enhance their children’s health.