Abstract

Objective: This study was planned to evaluate the knowledge of parents about pediatric surgery and the behaviour and attitude of bringing their children to pediatric surgeons in our city.

Material and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed on the parents of 1680 children (813 boys and 867 girls), a sampling representative of the parents of 12 years old children of our city. A questionnaire was prepared including questions about some sociodemographic parameters and knowledge of parents about pediatric surgical practice; and behaviour and attitude of taking their children to pediatric surgeons in our city. Among parents of 1680 children 1356 (80.7 %) responded the questionnaire.

Results: About 31.7 % of the respondents said that they did not know a specialty called pediatric surgery. Only 1.7 % of the respondents answered the question on pediatric surgical field of practice correctly. 28.8 % of the parents answered the age group of pediatric surgical practice correctly. Statistical analyses revealed that the educational level of the parents and monthly income were positively related with their knowledge about pediatric surgery (p<0.05). 26.8 % of the parents said that a pediatric surgeon treated their children. Most of the children were directed to pediatric surgery by pediatricians (42.4 %) and general practitioners (23.2 %). Twenty-one per cent of parents declared that even if there is an advanced pediatric surgical centre in their city, they prefer to transfer their children to one of the three big cities of the country for treatment.

Conclusion: In this study we found out that parents in our region know little about pediatric surgery. It is necessary for the pediatric surgeons to introduce themselves to public, to explain people that pediatric surgeons are specifically and sophisticatedly trained to treat the surgical diseases of children. All children should be referred to pediatric surgeons or surgeons dealing only with children for their surgical diseases and this procedure should be supported by law and regulations. Key words: Pediatri