2011 Volume 58 Issue 7 Pages 526-538
Objectives To establish an effective distribution method and necessary content for a pamphlet on pediatric emergencies for parents and guardians of kindergarteners by studying the possession rate of a pamphlet and impressions and opinions about its content.
Methods The number of subjects was 269. The pamphlet was delivered via kindergartens to parents and guardians; two months later, an anonymous questionnaire was sent inquiring about their possession rate and impressions and opinions about the content of the pamphlet. The A6 20-page all-color pamphlet (designed by the author) comprised questions regarding their decision to take their children to the hospital for 6 symptoms (fever, seizures, vomiting, diarrhea, cough, and abdominal pain), knowledge about physical assessment methods and homecare methods for children, and the phone numbers and URLs of “24-hour emergency lines for children.”
Results The number of valid responses was 111 (41.3%) (mean age: 36.0±4.50), with 74 (66.7%) retaining the pamphlet. There were significant differences in their experiences of illness in their children (P<0.05) between the possession group and disposed of group, the percentage beinbg higher in the former. Among the subjects who retained the pamphlet, 67 (90.5%) had read through it. Among them, 51 subjects (76.1%) answered that it had useful pages, and 63 subjects (94.0%) answered that they would use it in the future. Out of the information provided, including the 6 symptoms, frequently asked questions, records, and a list of phone numbers and URLs, the most useful information according to them was “a list of phone numbers and URLs” (28/54.9%), followed by “the decision to take the children to the hospital for fever” (24/47.1%) and “frequently asked questions” (21/41.2%).
Conclusion The possession rate was significantly higher in subjects who had experienced sudden illnesses in their children. Therefore, the likelihood of the pamphlet being retained and used would be higher if delivered to parents and guardians with children of an age more susceptible to sudden illnesses. Furthermore, many respondents chose “a list of phone numbers and URLs” as the most useful information. Therefore, a pamphlet that demonstrates how necessary information can be easily obtained and used may be more practical than one containing all the information.
