Parents' knowledge and practices towards childhood epistaxis in Al-Baha City, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background Epistaxis, known as a "nosebleed," refers to a sudden bleeding episode that originates from the nose mainly originates from Kiesselbach's plexus. Epistaxis is prevalent among school-age children. Nasal bleeding can be caused by various factors, which can be classified into systemic or local factors. Treatment requires first aid management and seeking medical advice. Thus, the purpose of this study is to assess the parents' knowledge and practices toward childhood epistaxis in Al-Baha City, Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 434 parents residing in Al-Baha City, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire that evaluated participants' demographic information, personal or familial experience with epistaxis, and their knowledge of its definition, causes, complications, and emergency management. Descriptive statistics summarized the demographic data and knowledge levels, while associations between sociodemographic factors and knowledge/practice were analyzed using chi-square tests. Results Four hundred and thirty-four participants were enrolled, predominantly male (60.1%) and primarily aged 45–60 years (37.6%). Overall, 63.1% of the participants had good knowledge. About 54.4% reported having a child who experienced epistaxis, with 64.4% of them having recurrent episodes. 96.1% correctly identified epistaxis as nasal bleeding, but only 45.4% recognized it as an emergency. Common causes of epistaxis reported by the participants were nasal injury (49.7%), high blood pressure (48.4%), and nose picking (43.5%). Complications reported were severe drops in blood pressure (44%) and anemia (43.7%). Regarding practices, only 53.5% had good practices toward epistaxis. Only 45.4% knew to apply pressure on both nostrils, while 42.2% mistakenly believed pressing the upper part of the nose is effective. Regarding body position, only 33.4% chose the correct position of sitting with the head tilted forward. Conclusion Although most of the participants (63.1%) had a good understanding of the condition, practical application was inadequate, particularly in recognizing it as an emergency and implementing effective first-aid measures. Notably, fathers demonstrated greater awareness of epistaxis and its management than mothers. Higher educational attainment, medium to high socioeconomic status, and personal experience with a child suffering from epistaxis were associated with improved knowledge levels.