Introduction: Appendicitis is well known by the general and medical population. Yet, the number of appendectomies varies by a factor of one to four depending on French departments.Purpose of research: This study aimed to compare, according to French schooling departments, the representations and attitudes of parents facing abdominal pain of their children, and their use of health care system. We selected three departments which have different proportions of use of appendectomy according to the DRESS's rapport of 2014. Meurthe-et-Moselle's rank is between 15.65 and 23.48/10 000 people, Seine-et-Marne's rank is between 23.48 and 31.30/10 000, and Jura's rank is superior to 31/10 000.
Results: 797 questionnaires were analyzed (45.2%). Significant differences exist in the answers of the three departments. Residents of the Jura region and, in a lesser measure, Seine-et-Marnaises answered differently than Meurthe-et-Mosellanses. The first two were the populations who experienced the most appendectomies and the Meurthe-et-Mosellanses the least. Parents who lived in departments of high rank of appendectomy thought more of acute appendicitis when confronted with their children's abdominal pain, and feared less of appendectomy. They were also more in favor of surgical treatment than parents from Meurthe-et-Moselle.
Conclusion: Knowledge, attitude and use of health care system seem to influence management of acute appendicitis in children's population and can explain, at least partially, the variations of the appendectomy rate in France. Targeted information for physicians may improve the understanding of patients and reassure them if needed in the purpose of reducing this factor of influence of practices.