Parental perspectives on antimicrobial children’s clothing: A qualitative inquiry

Purpose:
Young children are vulnerable to infectious diseases because of their immature
immune systems. Integrating antimicrobial technology, which inhibits the growth of
microorganisms, into children’s outerwear may protect them by keeping germs off
their clothing and bodies. However, there is rare evidence to suggest the parental
perspectives on the usage of antimicrobial clothing on their children and their
acceptance of this kind of product. This qualitative study aimed to explore parents’
perspectives on antimicrobial children’s clothing.

Methods:
This study employed a descriptive qualitative design. Forty-seven children aged
between 6 months and 2 years old were recruited for the 2-week wear trials of the
antimicrobial vest with consent from their parents. A purposive sampling method
was used to invite the parents to participate in in-depth one-on-one semi-structured
interviews. An interview guide was used to explore their experience of the wear trials
and comments on the clothing. Recruitment continued until data was saturated.
Total twenty-two parents were interviewed. All interviews were audiotaped,
transcribed verbatim, and analysed using content analysis.

Results:
The parental perspectives are embedded in three categories. First, “extra protective
function” refers to the appreciation of antimicrobial technology used in the clothing
that provides extra protection to their kids, particularly important in the COVID-19
outbreaks. Although some parents expressed uncertainty about the effectiveness
due to the invisibility of the instant presentation of disinfection, they still welcome
such an additional property. “Pleasant wearing and usage” refer to the experience of
daily use. The parents were impressed by the merits of soft and comforting texture,
ease and convenience to put on, and resistance to deformation after washed.
“Restricted applicability” refers to the boundary of application because of adopted
materials, which are too hot for summertime or without air conditioning.

Conclusion:
Adopting antimicrobial technology in children’s clothing is novel and practical with
positive perspectives from the parents, particularly during the outbreaks of infectious
diseases.
Keywords:
Antimicrobial technology, children’s clothing, parents’ perspectives.