Abstract

Tinea capitis  is a common infection among children in Nigeria and appropriate management will reduce its incidence among the pediatric population. The study assessed the opinions of mothers on the local and orthodox management of children infected with Tinea capitis. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design and was conducted among 390 women in two states in Southern Nigeria. Pretested, translated questionnaires were administered to them in their various houses, and data analysis was done with SPSS version 20. Findings from the study showed that the majority of the mothers were older adults (42%). Higher percentages of the mothers reported choice of local products for management of Tinea capitis which includes toothpaste (60%), black soap (61%), lime (49%), and herbal cream (41%). However, 66 mothers reported the use of orthodox medication out of which Fulcin (52%) had the highest percentage with wrong prescriptions. In conclusion, mothers used more local products compared to orthodox medication in managing Tinea capitis among children and the effectiveness of such products, in the management of Tinea capitis have not been confirmed. Orthodox medicines were also used inappropriately. Public Health professionals should create awareness among mothers on the proper management of Tinea capitis.

Key words: Tinea capitis, local management, orthodox management, mothers.