ArticleBMJ paediatrics open2025
Caught between fear and tradition: parental knowledge, beliefs and emergency responses to paediatric snakebites in rural Sri Lanka.
Article in BMJ paediatrics open, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- First-aid, pre-hospital care, and harmful indigenous practices in pediatric snakebite envenomation: A systematic review of global evidence from 1973 to 2025.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Pooled it
- A country-wide survey of knowledge and practice regarding prevention, snake identification and pre-hospital management of children with snakebites amongst Public Health Midwives in Sri Lanka.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Article
- Public Health Midwives' perspectives on paediatric snakebite prevention and management in rural Sri Lanka: A qualitative study.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2026Article
- Therapeutic itineraries of children after snakebites in the Brazilian Amazon: A thematic drawing-and-story study.PLoS neglected tropical diseases · 2025Article
- Community beliefs, risk factors, and preventive practices of snakebite: a local study with global perspectives.BMC research notes · 2025Observational
- When the bite is not the threat: non-venomous snakebites and their impact on rural child health.BMJ paediatrics open · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPaediatric snakebite remains a critical yet underexplored public health issue in rural Sri Lanka, where children are particularly vulnerable due to ecological exposure, limited access to timely care and entrenched traditional beliefs. While biomedical advancements exist, parental knowledge, cultural practices and systemic barriers significantly shape prehospital responses and outcomes.
methodsThis qualitative exploratory study employed 10 focus group discussions with 70 parents (45 mothers, 25 fathers) from snakebite-endemic rural communities in the Ampara and Polonnaruwa Districts. Participants were purposively selected, including those with direct or indirect exposure to snakebite incidents. Data were collected using a semistructured guide and analysed thematically, following Braun and Clarke's six-phase framework. Themes were validated through member checking and intercoder agreement.
resultsFive interrelated themes emerged: (1) pervasive fear and psychological burden associated with snakebite risk, (2) fragmented and inconsistent knowledge of envenomation symptoms and first-aid, (3) environmental and structural vulnerabilities such as unsafe housing and proximity to snake habitats, (4) strong adherence to traditional beliefs and ritual practices and (5) a high demand for culturally tailored education and systemic support. Many parents employed harmful first-aid methods due to inherited practices and a lack of formal training. Despite challenges, participants expressed strong willingness to learn and adopt evidence-based strategies.
conclusionsEffective paediatric snakebite prevention and management require context-specific, culturally sensitive interventions that address both knowledge gaps and structural barriers. Engaging with local belief systems and improving healthcare accessibility are essential for reducing snakebite-related morbidity and mortality among children in rural Sri Lanka.
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