Evaluation of Parental Knowledge, Attitudes and Health Literacy in Common Pediatric Surgical Diseases

Objective: Pediatric surgical diseases are a significant public health issue due to their morbidity and burden on healthcare systems. This study aimed to assess parents’ knowledge, attitudes, and health literacy regarding common surgical diseases and to examine their relationship with sociodemographic factors, as well as to explore the potential impact of these factors on pediatric surgical processes. Material and Method: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 121 parents of children aged 0–18 years presenting to family health centers were included. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire including sociodemographics, a 10-item knowledge test, a 10-item attitude scale, and the Health Literacy Scale–Short Form (HLS-SF12). Statistical analyses involved t-tests, ANOVA, and correlation tests. Results: Of the participants, 71.1% were female and 51.2% were aged 36–45. Knowledge levels were high for appendicitis and circumcision but low for hydrocele and undescended testis. Higher health literacy scores were significantly associated with female gender, higher education, urban residence, civil servant status, and higher income (p