The mothers’ experience in caring practices for children under 5 years with acute respiratory infection at home

Abstract

Objective: To explore the experience of mothers with children under 5 years old in caring practices for children with acute respiratory infection a home. Participants and methods: A qualitative study using semi-structured in-depth interviews was conducted with 34 mothers of children under 5 years old in two communes of Vu Ban district, Nam Dinh province, from October 2020 to May 2021. The health promotion model was applied as a guiding theory.Results: Mothers’ practices in caring for children with acute respiratory infections at home revealed several aspects requiring further exploration. The experiences in home care practices encompassed six themes: Recognizing the child’s respiratory condition, identifying signs necessitating hospitalization, practices for symptom relief, practices for monitoring the illness, confidence in care practices to alleviate the child’s condition, and desired support for home-based care. Conclusion: The study highlights diverse experiences of mothers in caring for children with acute respiratory infections at home, as well as the challenges and barriers they face. The findings suggest that healthcare facilities should pay special attention to supporting mothers in providing home-based care for children with acute respiratory infections