Fever phobias, perception among caregivers across Nigerian states: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Table 1 Scores of the included study using the Newcastle scale (n = 10)¹

Ref.	Cohort size	Population (Multi-center, single center)	Knowledge of fever sample size
Kazeem et al[22]	1	0	0.5-1
Uzochukwu et al[23]	1	1	0.5-1
Tagbo et al[24]	1	0	0.5-0
Balafalma et al[25]	1	0	0.5-0
Emilia et al[26]	0.5	0.5	0.5-1
Chukwuocha et al[27]	0.5	0.5	0.5-0
Ebidor et al[28]	1	0.5	0.5-0
Eberechukwu et al[29]	1	0.5	0.5-1
Nkechi et al[30]	0.5	1	0.5-0
Ibrahim et al[31]	1	1	1-1
Total score	8.5	5	5.5-5

¹Using the Newcastle scale: The score is between 5 to 8.5 which suggests medium to high-quality study.

Table 2 Demographic characteristics of study participants, recruited from the outpatients and immunization clinics of the teaching hospital of selected study (n = 10)

Ref.	Maternal age	Child’s age	Knowledge of fever sample size
Kazeem et al[22]	NA	< 12	83.3-144
Uzochukwu et al[23]	15-49	< 5	NA-400
Tagbo et al[24]	16-55	NS	NA-179
Balafalma et al[25]	13-54	NS	74.8-151
Emilia et al[26]	18-42	< 5	NA-122
Chukwuocha et al[27]	NA	< 5	NA-36
Ebidor et al[28]	15-60	NS	63-1143
Eberchukwu et al[29]	NS	< 16	35-324
Nkechi et al[30]	23-38	< 5	NA-122
Ibrahim et al[31]	NS	< 12	68.3-2400

NS: Not specified; NA: Not available.

Table 3 Characteristics of study participants, and types of antipyretics used in treating fever recruited from the outpatients and immunization clinics of the teaching hospital of selected study (n = 10), n (%)

Ref.	Paracetamol	Aspirin	Ibuprofen
Kazeem et al[22]	138 (96%)	NA	7 (5)
Uzochukwu et al[23]	7133 (66.5) urban, 63 (87.5) rural	12 (6.0) urban. 8 (11.1) rural	NA
Tagbo et al[24]	167 (93.8)	NA	NA
Balafalma et al[25]	NA	107 (70.9)	NA
Emilia et al[26]	122 (100)	122 (100)	19 (15.6)
Chukwuocha et al[27]	100 (87.5)	NA	NA
Ebidor et al[28]	NS	NS	NS
Eberchukwu et al[29]	217 (67)	NA	6 (1.9)
Nkechi et al[30]	NS	53 (43.4)	NS
Ibrahim et al[31]	1640 (68.3)	NA	1078 (44.9)

NS: Not specified; NA: Not available.

Table 4 Presumptive causes for phobias documented in the study, n (%)

Ref.	Malaria	Teething	Pneumonia	Dirty environs	Change in weather	Bad food	Diarrhoea	Drugs	Recent immunization	Infections	Witches/wizards
Kazeem et al[22]	NA	48 (33.3)	NA	36 (25.0)	21 (14.6)	39 (27.1)	NA	12 (8.3)	NA	63 (43.7)	6 (4.2)
Uzochukwu et al[23]	U: 232 (84.0); R: 124 (100)	U: 232 (84.0); R: 124 (100)	U: 183 (66.3); R: 99 (79.8)	U: 183 (66.3); R: 99 (79.8)	NA	NA	U: 134 (48.5); R: 75 (60.5)	NA	U: 214 (77.5); R: 97 (78.2)	NA	NA
Balafalma et al[25]	71 (47)	14 (9.3)	NA	5 (3.3)	2 (1.3)	2 (1.3)	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Nkechi et al[30]	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Tagbo et al[24]	132 (73.7)	143 (79.9)	NA	NA	NA	NA	6 (3.4)	NA	NA	NA	26 (14.5)
Ebidor et al[28]	483 (42)	306 (30)	16 (8.9)	NA	NA	NA	270 (24)	NA	NA	48 (4)	NA
Ibrahim et al[31]	616 (25.7)	576 (24.0)	NA	NA	120 (5.0)	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Eberchukwu et al[29]	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA

U: Urban; R: Rural; NA: Not available.

Table 5 Intervention measures for phobias documented in the study, n (%)

Ref.	Antibiotics	Antimalarials	Herbal concoction	Prayers	Tepid sponging	Took to hospital	Exposure	Covering the child
Kazeem et al[22]	13 (7.8)	10 (6.0)	9 (5.5%)	NA	NA	NA	NA	NA
Uzochukwu et al[23]	NA	U: 96 (48.0), R: 32 (44.4)	U: 6 (3.0), R: 4 (5.6)	NA	NA	U: 11 (3.9), R: 0 (0.0)	NA	NA
Balafalma et al[25]	NA	8 (5.3)	NA	NA	76 (50.3)	13 (8.6)	22 (14.6)	NA
Nkechi et al[30]	61 (50.0)	80 (65.6)	18 (25.0)	35 (43.8)	46 (50.5)	53 (63.9)	26 (32.5)	11 (15.1)
Tagbo et al[24]	NS	NS	NA	NA	NA	NA	154 (86.0)	12 (6.7)
Ebidor et al[28]	189 (17)	396 (35)	180 (15)	NA	NA	189 (17)	NA	NA
Ibrahim et al[31]	773 (32.2)	861 (35.9)	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS	NS
Eberchukwu et al[29]	2 (0.6)	11 (3.4)	1 (0.3)	NA	24 (7.4)	87 (26.8)	6 (1.9)	4 (1.2)

U: Urban; R: Rural; NS: Not specified; NA: Not available.