Topan, A.Sahin, O.O.2024-09-292024-09-2920190030-9982https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14619/10135Objective: To determine children's medical fears and to evaluate the effectiveness of puppet show to decrease such fears. Methods: The quasi-experimental study was conducted from February 1 to May 31, 2016, in Zonguldak, Turkey, and comprised primary school students. Descriptive Information Form and Medical Operations Fear Scale were used to collect data. Those found to be 'very afraid' subsequently underwent a puppet show. The Scale was applied post-intervention o track changes. SPSS 18 was used for data analysis. Results: There were 617 children with a mean age of 8.86±0.96 years and studying in second third and fourth grades. Of them, 316(51.2%) were boys. The mean score on the fear scale was 43.9±1.03 (range: 29-87); 58(9.4%) were terrified of medical procedures. There was a significant difference between the scores of children with respect to the year of education (p=0.001), age (p=0.0001), previous hospitalisations (p=0.0001), previous fears related to hospitalisations (p=0.0021) and fear of being sick (p=0.0001). Two sessions of puppet shows were performed for 44(76%) of the terrified students. There was a significant difference between baseline and post-intervention scores (p=0.0001). Conclusion: Age, previous negative experiences of hospitalisations and the fear of being sick were factors that shaped children's medical fears. Puppet show effectively decreased such fears. © 2019, Pakistan Medical Association. All rights reserved.eninfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessArt teraphyChildFearPlaytingsProcedureArticle2-s2.0-85068163522822631189288Q481769