@article{article_257712, title={Traditional patient misconceptions about the causes and care of the common cold}, journal={Ankara Medical Journal}, volume={16}, pages={263–269}, year={2016}, DOI={10.17098/amj.88183}, author={Cihan, Fatma Gökşin and Yayla, Muhteşem Erol and Yavuz, Erdinç}, keywords={Common cold,traditional medicine; physicians}, abstract={<p> <strong>Objectives </strong>: Common cold is often caused by rhinovirus. It is a mild and self-limiting illness that almost always resolves spontaneously. To date there is no effective treatment for common cold and the routine use of antibiotics for the common cold is not recommended. The cold-related knowledge and beliefs of people may not correspond with current medical opinion. Knowledge and beliefs may differ on the basis of a person’s ethnicity or socioeconomic status. The aim of this study was to investigate the beliefs about causes and management of common cold among Turkish people. </p> <p> <strong>Material and Methods </strong>: This study was conducted in a family health care center in Adana city, located at Mediterranean region of Turkey. 146 participants attended to this descriptive study. The participants fulfilled a questionnaire developed by the researchers. </p> <p> <strong>Results </strong>: Of the participants, 73.28 % were female and mean age was 37.13±12.01 years. There was a statistically significant difference between male and female participants’ occupation (p<0.001) and education levels (p=0.01). People believed that heat transfers by conduction or convection lead to common cold.  42(28.76%) subjects thought that those heat transfers caused fever. There was a statistically significant difference between male and female participants’ belief about “drinking cold water when sweaty causes common cold” (p=0.044). 30 (20.54%) participants used antibiotic for common cold. </p> <p> <strong>Conclusion </strong>: Superstitious beliefs about common cold were frequent in Turkey. People need to be informed about the causes of common cold and antibiotic misuse. </p>}, number={3}, publisher={Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University}