Accès ouvert

The Accuracy of Caregiver’s ‘hot to touch’ assessment in paediatric healthcare among children aged 6-35 months with medically-attended diarrhea: Findings from the EFGH- Shigella surveillance in Kenya, Malawi, Bangladesh and Peru, 2022-2024

Article scientifique 2025 Autre

Résumé

Abstract Introduction Confidence in caregivers’ assessment of fever in their children, compared to thermometer readings, could help guide prompt care seeking and appropriate treatment in settings where access to reliable diagnostic tools is limited. Here, we evaluated the accuracy and drivers of caregiver-reported ‘hot-to-touch’ fever compared to digital thermometry among children in the Enterics for Global Health (EFGH) Shigella surveillance study. Methods Children aged 6–35 months with medically attended diarrhea (MAD) enrolled in Kenya, Malawi, Bangladesh, and Peru between August 2022 and August 2024 were included. We trained caregivers to assess and record daily ‘hot-to-touch’ (subjective fever measurement) and digital (thermometer) axillary temperature (fever defined as ≥37.5°C) readings over for 14 days post-enrolment. We calculated site specific and overall accuracy of ‘hot-to-touch’ compared to thermometer-measured fever and used multivariable Poisson regression to identify factors associated with accurate detection. Results The accuracy of caregiver-reported ‘hot-to-touch’ assessment ranged from 62.1% to72.0% overall and was highest in Bangladesh (83.2%–96.1%) and lowest in Malawi (47.4%–53.4%) over the 14 day assessment period. Accuracy was higher in children with chest indrawing (aPR=1.29, 95% CI: 1.04–1.60) and low respiratory rate (aPR=1.20, 95% CI: 1.11–1.29) and in children from wealthier households (Quintile 5: aPR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.01-1.44). Accuracy was lower among caregivers from households with ≥3 children (aPR=0.88, 95% CI: 0.79–0.99) and for children with low heart rate (aPR=0.76, 95% CI: 0.61–0.94). Conclusion Suboptimal accuracy of hot-to-touch compared to digital thermometers in detecting fever in this study supports the need for digital thermometer use and context-specific strategies to enhance early detection of fever, particularly in communities living in resource-poor settings.

Citer ce document

Anyango, R., Ogwel, B., Schultes, O., Oreso, C., Onyando, B., Mategula, D., Witte, D., Lopez, W., Yori, P., Bhuiyan, T., Qudrat-E-Khuda, S., Siddiqui, S., Qamar, F., Pavlinac, P., Tickell, K., Omore, R. (2025). The Accuracy of Caregiver’s ‘hot to touch’ assessment in paediatric healthcare among children aged 6-35 months with medically-attended diarrhea: Findings from the EFGH- Shigella surveillance in Kenya, Malawi, Bangladesh and Peru, 2022-2024. https://doi.org/10.64898/2025.12.16.25342347

Accès au document

Texte intégral en lecture en ligne, réservé aux abonnés SPHAERO et aux membres de l'institution. Se connecter

Voir l'article sur le site de la revue

Auteur(s)

Raphael O Anyango Billy Ogwel Olivia Schultes Caren Oreso Brian O Onyando Donnie Mategula Desiree Witte Wagner Valentino Shapiama Lopez Pablo Penataro Yori Taufiqur Rahman Bhuiyan Syed Qudrat-E-Khuda Sania Siddiqui Farah Naz Qamar Patricia B Pavlinac Kirkby D. Tickell Richard Omore

Statistiques

Consultations : 1

Téléchargements : 0