Published online Aug 26, 2020. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v8.i16.3465
Peer-review started: April 18, 2020
First decision: June 24, 2020
Revised: June 24, 2020
Accepted: August 1, 2020
Article in press: August 1, 2020
Published online: August 26, 2020
Processing time: 128 Days and 20.7 Hours
The new coronavirus pneumonia outbreak that began in December 2019 had a severe impact in China. In order to control the spread of the epidemic, China has put forward measures for the isolation of patients with fever at home. As a patient group, children are characterized by still developing consciousness, behavioral, language, cognition, and self-control capabilities. In this study, we aimed to assess the implementation of children’s home isolation prevention and control measures and the factors that may affect compliance.
Due to the nature of children, the implementation of the home isolation turned out to be quite difficult, and questions regarding the home isolation were brought out by parents when seeing doctors.
The main purpose of this study was to assess the implementation of child home isolation measures and the factors that affect compliance. The results of our research will aid the development of intervention programs that improve children’s compliance.
The parents of 495 pediatric patients participated in our survey. We collected data on the implementation of child home isolation measures, including gender of patient, age of patient, number of family members, gender of caregiver, age of caregiver, and compliance with isolation. For the latter we collected data on adherence to 1.5 meters distance, hand hygiene, cough etiquette, and wearing masks at home.
The level of compliance among 495 children was low. In univariate analysis, the compliance with home isolation was related to gender and age of the child, gender and age of the main caregiver, number of children in the family, and intensive health education. The number of children in the family was not an independent factor that affects compliance.
Children’s adherence to home isolation is generally low, and health education is imperative for improving compliance. Senior caregivers as well as young children should be the key target groups of health education.
Home isolation is an important measure for prevention and control of the new coronavirus epidemic. However, proper implementation of home isolation among children with fever is relatively poor. In order to improve children’s compliance, social structures need to be mobilized. Better health education and enhanced supervision need to be provided in order to protect children's physical and mental health.