Coping with their Children’s Illnesses by Mothers Belonging to Double Income Nuclear Families and their Use of Pediatric Emergency Services

Abstract

Objective: Among children using emergency medical services, those belonging to nuclear or double-income families account for the majority. This study examined double-income nuclear families’ coping with their children’s sickness and pediatric emergency service use by them, aiming to reduce such service use in non-emergency cases. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 27 mothers, who belonged to double-income nuclear families living in a prefecture, to examine the mother’s age, sick child’s age, number of children, coping with the child’s sickness, and pediatric emergency service use. Results: Working full-time, most of the mothers belonging to double-income families tended to notice their children’s sickness after work. They examined the child’s pathological condition based on their parenting experience, and decided whether to use emergency medical services or wait and see. Anxiety in those lacking parenting experience was intensified by the necessity of using nocturnal or holiday medical services and the child’s young age, and alleviated by emergency medical service use. Sources of support for the mothers included: the husband, web searches, and a pediatric emergency telephone consultation service; such a service enhanced their sense of security, and provided them with guidance for appropriate medical service use. While feeling secure with their family doctors, the mothers were dissatisfied with nocturnal clinic services, systems and public information regarding doctors on duty on holidays, and long waiting times in hospitals/clinics due to crowdedness. Conclusion: The results suggest the usefulness of pediatric emergency telephone consultation services for mothers belonging to double-income nuclear families and lacking parenting experience to reduce pediatric emergency service use by them in non-emergency cases.