INTRODUCTION:

Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) affect the respiratory tract and are categorized into upper respiratory tract infections (URIs) and lower respiratory tract infections (LRIs). The upper respiratory tract comprises the airway from the nostrils to the larynx, while the lower respiratory tract includes the trachea, bronchioles, and alveoli. URIs, which are the most common infectious diseases, encompass conditions such as rhinitis (common cold), sinusitis, ear infections, acute pharyngitis or tonsillopharyngitis, epiglottitis, and laryngitis. LRIs, including pneumonia and bronchiolitis, are particularly concerning in children. ARIs are a leading cause of mortality in children, especially in developing countries, and can rapidly progress to affect the entire respiratory system if left untreated.

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY:

Acute respiratory infections often start as viral infections in the nose, trachea, or lungs and are a major cause of child mortality, particularly in developing countries. Pneumonia, a severe outcome of ARI, is a leading cause of death that can be significantly mitigated through early diagnosis and treatment.

Traditional remedies, such as tea with honey or a lemon-honey mixture, have been used worldwide for treating respiratory infections. Ingredients like tamarind, ginger, and eucalyptus are also commonly employed in various home remedies. Although efficacy studies on traditional medicine are limited, these remedies are generally considered safe, as they use harmless and readily available ingredients. Therefore, promoting the use of soothing homemade remedies for preventing and treating ARIs is encouraged.

According to the World Health Organization (2001), timely and appropriate care could reduce child deaths from ARIs by 20%. Health-seeking behavior is influenced by personal perceptions, disease awareness, and the availability, accessibility, and affordability of healthcare services. Numerous studies indicate that many mothers and their children live in environments that do not foster proactive healthcare-seeking behaviors.

METHOD AND MATERIALS:

A non-experimental descriptive study was conducted to assess the home remedies used for preventing and treating ARIs among parents of children aged 5-15 years. The study sample comprised 241 participants selected using a non-probability purposive sampling technique.

Ethical Considerations:

Ethical clearance for the study was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee (letter no.: 1703/IEC-AIIMSRPR/2002). Data collection was conducted with formal permission from relevant authorities, and informed consent was obtained from each participant after explaining the study's purpose.

Data Collection Measures:

Data were collected using a self-structured questionnaire and checklist, both validated by experts and found to be reliable. The assessment checklist demonstrated 96% reliability with a test-retest method coefficient of 0.96. The questionnaire consisted of two sections: a socio-demographic profile (including age, gender, religion, education, occupation, income, family type, area of residence, previous knowledge about ARI, and details of the child's health history) and a checklist evaluating home remedies for ARI prevention and treatment. The checklist included 20 statements and was validated by experts. Data collection took place over four weeks.

Statistical Analysis:

Descriptive statistics were employed for data analysis, including frequency, percentage, range, mean, and standard deviation. The data were presented using tables, cross-tabulations, and charts, and analyzed with SPSS and MS Excel.

RESULTS:

Table 1: Section-A (Table1): Frequency and percentage distribution of demographic variables of parents of children 5 -15 years of age. N= 241

Demographic variables

Character

Frequency

(%)

Age (in years)

20-30

31-40

>40

127

31.5

52.7

15.8

Gender

Female

Male

197

81.7

18.3

Religion

Hindu

Muslim

Christian

Others

217

5.8

3.7

Occupation

Professional

Semi professional

Clerical/Shop/ Farm

Skilled worker

Semi-skilled worker

Unskilled workers

Unemployed

110

4.1

5.0

45.6

7.5

4.6

4.1

29.0

Level of education

Illiterate

Primary school

Middle school

High school

Diploma

Graduate

Post graduate

14.1

18.3

19.9

8.3

15.4

12.0

Monthly income

2000 and above

1000-1999

750-999

500-749

168

69.7

26.6

3.3

TYype of family

Nuclear

Joint

Extended family

155

64.3

35.3

Area of residence

Rural

Urban

119

122

49.4

50.6

Source of information

Telivision/

Radio/ Newspaper

Social media

From another person

If others

125

51.9

28.2

19.5

0.4

The Analysis Revealed The Following:

• Age of Children: All 241 children in the study were aged between 5 and 15 years.

• Age of Parents: Among the 241 samples, 76 (31.5%) were aged 20-30 years, 127(52.7%) were aged 31-40 years, and 38(15.8%) were over 40 years old.

• Gender of Parents: Out of 241 parents, 197(81.7%) were female, and 44(18.3%) were male.

• Occupation of Parents: Of the 241 parents, 10 (4.1%) were professionals, 12(5%) were semi-professionals, 110(45.6%) were clerical workers/shopkeepers/farmers, 18(7.5%) were skilled workers, 11(4.6%) were semi-skilled workers, 10 (4.1%) were unskilled workers, and 70(29%) were unemployed.

• Education Level of Parents: The educational levels of the 241 parents were as follows: 29(12%) were illiterate, 34(14.1%) had primary education, 44 (18.3%) had completed middle school, 48(19.9%) had high school education, 20(8.3%) had a diploma, 37(15.4%) were graduates, and 29(12%) had postgraduate degrees.

Monthly Income: Of the 241 parents, 168(69.7%) had a monthly income of 2000 and above, 64 (26.6%) had an income between 1000-1999, 1 (0.4%) had an income between 750-999, and 8 (3.3%) had an income between 500-749.

• Living Area: Among the 241 participants, 119 (49.4%) resided in rural areas, while 122 (50.6%) lived in urban areas.

• Source of Information Regarding COVID-19: Out of 241 samples, 68(28.2%) received information through social media, 125(51.9%) through newspapers, radio, or television, 47(19.5%) from other individuals, and 1(0.4%) from other sources.

Section-B

Table 2: Demonstrate the frequency and percentage distribution of demographic variables of children.

S. No	Demographic variables	Character	Frequency	(%)
1	Age	5-10 11-15	140 101	58.1% 41.9%
2	Gender	Male Female	111 130	46.1% 53.9%
3	History of any previous acute respiratory infection in child.	Yes No	191 50	79.3% 20.7%
4	History of any present acute respiratory infection in child.	Yes No	57 184	23.7% 76.3%

The analysis revealed the following:

· Age of Children: Out of 241 samples, 140(58.1%) of the parents had children aged 5-10 years, while 101 (41.9%) had children aged 11-15 years.

· Gender of Children: Among the 241 children, 130 (53.9%) were female and 111(46.1%) were male.

· History of Previous Acute Respiratory Infections: Out of 241 samples, 191(79.3%) reported a history of previous acute respiratory infections in their children, while 50(20.7%) had no such history.

· History of Present Acute Respiratory Infections: Of the 241 samples, 57(23.7%) had children with a current history of acute respiratory infections, whereas 184(76.3%) had no current infections.

Section-C:

Table 3.1 Frequency distribution and percentage of parent’s practice regarding prevention and treatment of ARI in children of age 5-15 years.

Sl. No.	Questions	Frequency	Percentage
	Massaging chest with mixture of ghee and rock salt	Always -36 Sometimes -69 Never -139	14.9 28.6 56.4
	Massaging chest with mixture of camphor and mustard oil	Always – 37 Sometimes – 94 Never - 94	15.4 45.6 39.00
	Rubbing chest with sesame oil	Always – 36 Sometimes -61 Never - 144	14.9 25.3 59.8
	Oral intake of powdered Ajwain with honey	Always – 44 Sometimes – 94 Never – 103	18.3 39 42.7
	Oral intake of Fitkari alum with honey	Always – 23 Sometimes – 80 Never - 138	9.5 33.2 57.3
	Oral intake of Mulathi with honey	Always – 26 Sometimes – 99 Never - 116	10.8 41.6 48.1
	Pinch of Dry ginger powder with of honey	Always – 45 Sometimes –97 Never - 99	18.7 40.2 41.1
	Oral intake of powdered Neem with water/ honey	Always – 24 Sometimes – 79 Never - 138	10 32.8 57.3
	Drinking luke warm Ashwagandha water	Always – 30 Sometimes – 76 Never - 135	12.4 31.5 56
	Drinking luke warm cinnamon water	Always – 34 Sometimes – 77 Never - 130	14.1 32 53.9
	Oral intake of Vasa in luke warm water/ honey	Always – 33 Sometimes – 64 Never - 114	13.7 26.6 59.8
	Sipping of Tulsi water	Always – 100 Sometimes – 81 Never – 60	41.5 33.6 24.9
	Oral intake of Cardamon powder with honey	Always – 62 Sometimes – 80 Never - 99	25.7 33.2 41.1
	Drinking Ginger tea/ Herbal tea / Peppermint tea/ cardamom tea/ Masala tea	Always – 114 Sometimes – 84 Never - 43	47.3 34.9 17.8
	Oral intake of Bharangi in powder form with honey	Always – 42 Sometimes –67 Never - 132	17.4 27.8 54.8
	Drinking turmuric milk for immunity	Always – 96 Sometimes – 72 Never - 73	39.9 29.9 30.3
	Oral intake of Aconitum Heterophyllum with honey	Always – 43 Sometimes –44 Never - 163	14.1 18.3 67.6
	Oral intake of Albizia lebbeck (Sherish) powder with honey	Always – 18 Sometimes – 45 Never - 178	7.5 18.7 73.9
	Oral intake of Pipli with honey	Always – 11 Sometimes – 60 Never - 170	4.6 24.9 70.5
	Using essential oil like Eucalyptus / Peppermint oil for aromatherapy	Always – 16 Sometimes – 36 Never – 188	6.6 14.9 78.0

Table 3. 2 Practice level of home remedies for treatment and prevention of ARI

Practice	Frequency	Pecentage (%)
Good Practice	01	0.41%
Moderate Practice	31	12.86%
Poor Practice	209	86.72%

PIE CHART:

Section-D

Table 4: Mean, standard deviation and range of parent's level of home-based practices regarding prevention and treatment of acute respiratory infection in children of age 5 – 15years.

S. No	Home-based practices regarding prevention and treatment of ARI
Mean	13.27
Standard deviation	5.51
Range	32

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION OF STUDY:

1. Assessment of Parental Practices on Home Remedies for ARI:

The study's analysis indicates that among the 241 parents surveyed, 209(86%) demonstrated poor practices regarding the use of home remedies for the prevention and treatment of acute respiratory infections (ARI). Only 31(12%) had moderate practices, and just 1 parent out of 241 exhibited good practices. These findings are inconsistent with other studies reviewed.

In contrast, a study by Khalida Naz Memon and Khalida Shaikh in Pakistan, involving 488 mothers of children less than 3 years, showed that approximately 94.4% of the mothers used at least one home remedy for ARI. Additionally, research by Sudhir Mishra and colleagues in New Delhi identified honey, ginger, and tulsi as commonly used home remedies. In our study, however, ginger/herbal tea, tulsi water, and turmeric milk were the primary practices observed.

IMPLICATIONS:

The study’s results suggest several implications for nursing education, practice, and research. Health education plays a vital role in promoting healthy living and is a cost-effective intervention. Many parents lack knowledge about home-based remedies due to ignorance or skepticism about their effectiveness. Providing education through self-instructional modules on Ayurvedic remedies can enhance parents' knowledge and improve their use of these remedies for ARI prevention and treatment.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

1. Conduct similar studies with larger sample sizes and probability sampling for broader generalization.

2. Perform comparative studies to assess ARI prevention and treatment practices among parents of children aged 5-15 years.

3. Explore similar studies in various settings with different demographic variables.

4. Investigate the use of alternative medicine systems in different settings with the same demographic variables.

CONCLUSION:

Proper use of home remedies is essential for effectively preventing and treating ARI in children. The study found that although parents recognize the potential benefits of home remedies, their actual practices are insufficient. Improving parental knowledge and practices through targeted education can enhance the effectiveness of home remedies for ARI.

REFERENCES:

1. Broor S, Parveen S, Bharaj P, Prasad VS, Srinivasulu KN, Sumanth KM, et al. A Prospective Three-Year Cohort Study of the Epidemiology and Virology of Acute Respiratory Infections of Children in Rural India. Poeta MD, editor. PLoS ONE. 2007 Jun 6;2(6):e491.

2. Simoes EAF, Cherian T, Chow J, et al. Acute Respiratory Infections in Children. In: Jamison DT, Breman JG, Measham AR, et al., editors. Disease Control Priorities in Developing Countries. 2nd edition. Washington (DC): The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development- The World Bank; 2006. Chapter 25. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK11786/ Co-published by Oxford University Press, New York.

3. Mutalik b A, Raje V. Study to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice about acute respiratory infections among school going children and their parents in rural Maharashtra. Int J Med Sci Public Health. 2017; 1.

4. Osarogiagbon WO, Isara AR. Knowledge of acute respiratory infection in under-fives and homebased practices by their caregivers in an urban community in southern Nigeria. Afr J Thorac Crit Care Med. 2018; 24(4).

5. Islam F, Sarma R, Debroy A, Kar S, Pal R. Profiling acute respiratory tract infections in children from assam, India. J Glob Infect Dis. 2013 Jan; 5(1):8–14.

6. Bhalla K, Gupta A, Nanda S, Mehra S, Verma S. Parental knowledge and common practices regarding acute respiratory infections in children admitted in a hospital in rural setting. J Family Med Prim Care. 2019 Sep; 8(9): 2908–11.

7. Kumar SG, Majumdar A, Kumar V, Naik BN, Selvaraj K, Balajee K. Prevalence of acute respiratory infection among under-five children in urban and rural areas of puducherry, India. J Nat Sci Biol Med. 2015 Jun; 6(1): 3–6.

8. Simiyu DE, Wafula EM, Nduati RW. Mothers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding acute respiratory infections in children in Baringo District, Kenya. E Af Med Jrnl. 2004 Mar 12; 80(6): 303–7.

9. Wang H, Zheng Y, Deng J, Wang W, Liu P, Yang F, et al. Prevalence of respiratory viruses among children hospitalized from respiratory infections in Shenzhen, China. Virol J. 2016 Dec; 13(1): 39.

10. Chand V, Mohammadnezhad M. Perception of mothers about Acute Respiratory Infections (ARIs) and risk factors affecting children Under 5 Years (U5Ys) in Fiji. Journal of Pediatric Nursing. 2022 Jul;65:44–54.

11. Ziodeen KA, Misra SM. Complementary and integrative medicine attitudes and perceived knowledge in a large pediatric residency program. Complementary Therapies in Medicine. 2018 Apr; 37: 133–5.

12. Minz A, Agarwal M, Singh JV, Singh VK. Care seeking for childhood pneumonia by rural and poor urban communities in Lucknow: A community-based cross-sectional study. J Family Med Prim Care. 2017 Jun; 6(2): 211–7.

13. Sultana M, Sarker AR, Sheikh N, Akram R, Ali N, Mahumud RA, et al. Prevalence, determinants and health care-seeking behavior of childhood acute respiratory tract infections in Bangladesh. Ghose B, editor. PLoS ONE. 2019 Jan 10;14(1):e0210433.

14. Siva N, Nayak BS. Practice of home remedies among the mothers of under five children with upper respiratory tract infection. Inter Jour of Nurs Educ. 2019; 11(1): 10.

15. Naz Memon K, Khalida S, Pandhiani BS, Usman G. How do Mothers Recognize & Treat Pneumonia in their Children at Home? A study in Union Council Jhudo, District Mirpurkhas. JLUMHS. 2013; 12.

Received on 09.08.2024 Revised on 07.01.2025

Accepted on 16.04.2025 Published on 23.05.2025

Available online from May 26, 2025

A and V Pub Int. J. of Nursing and Med. Res. 2025; 4(2):72-76.

DOI: 10.52711/ijnmr.2025.15

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Creative Commons License.