Published Paper Details:

A descriptive design with cross sectional survey approach was undertaken to Identify the choice of treatment by the head of the family (decision maker) for the care of the child with respiratory infections in Salem, Tamilnadu among 205 decision makers having children before 14 years of age were selected by purposive sampling method and data were collected from them by closed ended questionnaire. Analysis of findings reveals that highest percentage of the decision maker was the father of the child (63.4%), in the age group of 21 to 30 years (55.2%), had high school education (27.3%), were daily wagers (52.2%), were in the income group of Rs.3001-6000 (47.3%), and highest (72%) percentage of the children were males for the age group of below one year. Most (84%) of decision makers were males and were from nuclear family (79%) and 59.5% got information from neighbours, 47.3% had two children. Most of them preferred home based treatment for common cold, cough, sore throat and pharyngitis except pneumonia, fever and breathing difficulty. And almost all of the decision makers preferred further treatment in specialty hospital when symptoms not cured. No significant association was found between the choice of treatment by the head of the family (decision maker) and demographic variables