Background: Rickets considered a major worldwide health issue around the world. It is a
preventable condition, but cases continue to be reported in infants and children due to lack of mothers'
awareness about the importance of vitamin D, benefits and prevention of deficiency. Aim: This study
aimed to assess health beliefs of mothers towards prevention of rickets among their children. Design:
A descriptive study design was utilized to conduct this study. Settings: This study was conducted at
outpatient pediatric clinics in Benha university hospital and Benha teaching hospital affiliated to
Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population. Sample: A convenient sample of all available mothers
were taken from the previously mentioned setting regardless of their characteristics and willing to
participate in the study. Tool: Two tools were used for data collection: A structured interviewing
questionnaire and mother’s health beliefs scale. Results: The majority of the studied mothers has
unsatisfactory level of knowledge scores about prevention of rickets in children and less than two
thirds of the studied mothers have moderate level of health beliefs. Conclusion: There was a highly
statistical significant relation between the studied mother’s total knowledge level and the total
mother’s health beliefs level with their characteristics. |
