{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T06:25:24Z","timestamp":1787034324790,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":52,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1787011200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Public Health"],"abstract":"<jats:p>\n                    Respiratory infections in young children are a common health problem influenced by several factors. The aim of this study was to recognition the principles of respiratory tract infection prevention in young children in the context of parents\u2019 self-efficacy and the level of health locus of control. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 150 parents of young children. A proprietary questionnaire and standardized scales were used: the General Self-Efficacy Questionnaire (GSES) and the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC \u2013 version A). Research material was collected online using Google Forms software. Data from 134 respondents were included in the statistical analysis. A significant correlation was found between the frequency of respiratory infections in children and their age, attendance at nursery or kindergarten, physical activity and suffering from asthma. Based on the GSES sten scores, the majority of parents (66.42%;\n                    <jats:italic>n<\/jats:italic>\n                    \u202f=\u202f89) had high self-efficacy (sten scores of 7\u201310). According to the MHLC scale - version A scale, health control was highest on the internal dimension (Me\u202f=\u202f26), and chance had the least influence on health control (Me\u202f=\u202f20). Parents engaged in health behaviors to prevent respiratory infections in their children. Most parents scored high on the GSES and MHLC scale - version A, which may have translated into better health management skills and the implementation of appropriate health-promoting practices in their children.\n                  <\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3389\/fpubh.2026.1910140","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,18]],"date-time":"2026-08-18T05:37:38Z","timestamp":1787031458000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Parental self-efficacy, health locus of control, and preventive behaviors against respiratory infections in young children: a cross-sectional survey study"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Anna","family":"Bednarek","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Health Promotion Chair of Nursing Development, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Lublin","place":["Lublin, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Marzena","family":"Laskowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Perinatology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Lublin","place":["Lublin, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Lewandowska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Healthcare, State Academy of Applied Sciences in Jaroslaw","place":["Jaroslaw, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Umi\u0144ska","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"University Children\u2019s Hospital in Lublin","place":["Lublin, Poland"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Iwona","family":"Bodys-Cupak","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Nursing Fundamentals, Faculty of Health Sciences, Institute of Nursing and Midwifery, Jagiellonian University 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