COMPARING LIQUID-CRYSTAL THERMOMETER READINGS AND MERCURY THERMOMETERREADINGS OF INFANTS AND CHILDREN IN A TRADITIONAL AFRICAN SETTING - IMPLICATIONS FOR COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH

Liquid crystal thermometer (LCT) readings of skin temperatures were co mpared with mercury thermometer (MT) rectal temperature readings to as sess the reliability of LCTs. Temperatures of 498 children were measur ed at two points in time. LCT skin temperature readings of children 0 to 52 months were on average 0.50 degrees C and 1.97 degrees C lower t han MT rectal temperature readings, A strong correlation between tempe rature differences and LCT readings indicated that the greatest differ ences occurred at the lower LCT readings. These conclusions indicate L CT skin readings undermeasure temperature, Some of these differences w ere due to MTs not measuring temperatures below 35 degrees C. Children under 1 year of age had significantly greater differences than any ot her age group, Their LCT readings were, on average, 1.65 degrees C low er than their MT readings. Using MTs as a standard, LCTs were 100% sen sitive and 92% specific for detecting children with hypothermia. LCTs were 38.5% sensitive and 100% specific for detecting fevers, These res ults suggest that LCTs leave undetected a large proportion of children who have fetters. However, they are sensitive for identifying childre n with hypothermia, A knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) study ind icated that local mothers can be identified who understand principles and procedures of LCTs, and accept them for health care of their child .