Knowledge and misconceptions of parents of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder at a hospital in South Africa
South African Family Practice
| Field | Value | |
| Title | Knowledge and misconceptions of parents of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder at a hospital in South Africa | |
| Creator | Rajcumar, Neelkant R. Paruk, Saeeda | |
| Description | Background: Parents’ knowledge and misconception about attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) influences their children’s access to care, its management and outcome. The study aimed to investigate parents’ knowledge and perceptions of ADHD.Methods: The cross-sectional survey of 79 parents of children (aged 5–17 years) with ADHD at a specialist child psychiatry clinic in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa, consisted of a socio-demographic and clinical questionnaire, and the Knowledge of Attention Disorders Scale questionnaire, was carried out.Results: Twenty-six (32.9%) parents consulted a traditional healer, of whom 84.6% did so before consulting a medical doctor, with 61.5% reporting that the healer suggested psychiatric referral. Most parents had some knowledge of their child’s ADHD diagnosis but held various misconceptions about its treatment and associated factors: 92.4% believed that reducing sugar or food additives were effective to reduce symptoms; 78.5% that treatments focussing on punishment reduced the symptoms; 67.1% that prolonged use of stimulant medications leads to increased addiction (i.e. drug, alcohol) in adulthood.Conclusion: Many parents had misconceptions about ADHD’s causes and treatment, some having consulted traditional healers, indicating the need to increase awareness among health practitioners to ensure timeous treatment access. A parent focussed psycho-education programme is required that provides information about causes, symptoms, treatment and prognosis. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2020-09-03 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/safp.v62i1.5124 | |
| Source | South African Family Practice; Vol 62, No 1 (2020): Part 3; 8 pages 2078-6204 2078-6190 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5124/6315
https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5124/6314
https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5124/6316
https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5124/6313
|
|
ADVERTISEMENT
