Objective To explore which factor or combination of factors is perceived by parents as most distinctive in prompting them to seek medical care for children aged 0 - 5 years who were admitted to the hospital with fever due to a serious bacterial infection (SBI), in order to inform further development of an e-health tool. Design A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with a purposive sampling strategy.
Interviews were conducted by a medical intern and supervised by a clinician researcher. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis to identify key themes in parental decision-making.
Setting Paediatric ward of the Juliana Children's Hospital in The Hague, an urban teaching hospital in the Netherlands, between April and June 2024. Participants Parents of children aged 0 - 5 years admitted with a suspected SBI were eligible.
Of the 17 parents approached, 15 agreed to participate in 13 interviews (ie, in two interviews both parents participated). Results 13 interviews with 15 parents revealed five themes.
BMJ Open published a clinical update in Research Highlights on 24 Jun 2026.
The item focuses on Understanding parents decisions to seek care for children with serious bacterial infections: a qualitative study.
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