Knowledge, Attitudes and Opinions of Families Applying to Education Family Health Center About Childhood Periodic Health Examinations

Objective: Childhood periodic health assessments are vital for sustaining well-being, preventing disabilities, and reducing mortality rates among infants and children. Achieving these goals requires that families possess adequate knowledge and awareness regarding such examinations. This study sought to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of families about periodic health checks in childhood. Methods: This research was conducted at the Atatürk University Faculty of Medicine Education Family Health Center with 126 participants who were parents of children aged 0-5 years and voluntarily completed a survey. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software, version 22.0. Results: Among the participants, 76.2% were women, and 73.8% held university degrees. All participants unanimously agreed on the necessity of conducting periodic childhood health evaluations. A total of 97.6% (n=123) reported consistently attending family medicine follow-ups, while 74.6% (n=94) considered these evaluations sufficient for their children. Furthermore, 76.2% (n=96) of parents indicated that they conducted preliminary research before attending these follow-ups. High participation and awareness were noted in screenings for conditions such as heel prick tests (86.5%), vaccinations (76.2%), hearing assessments (100%), vision screenings (81%), and developmental hip dysplasia (93.7%). Conversely, lower levels of participation and knowledge were observed in screenings for hypertension (72.2%) and developmental conditions such as autism (23%), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (15.1%), and specific learning disorders (50%). Conclusion: Healthcare providers should enhance their efforts to provide comprehensive information about childhood health screenings, as parents often have knowledge gaps, particularly regarding hypertension and developmental disorders.