scholarly journals Effect of a community‐based child health counselling intervention on health‐seeking behaviours, complementary feeding and nutritional condition among children aged 6–23 months in rural China: A pre‐ and post‐comparison study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shiyi Yao ◽  
Shuyue Xiao ◽  
Xi Jin ◽  
Mei Xiong ◽  
Jing Peng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Complementary Feeding ◽  
Rural China ◽  
Nutritional Condition ◽  
Comparison Study ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Counselling Intervention ◽  
Health Counselling

Maternal and child health nurses’ experiences of implementing two community-based breastfeeding interventions in Victoria, Australia: A mixed methods process evaluation

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rhian L Cramer ◽  
Helen L McLachlan ◽  
Touran Shafiei ◽  
Lisa H Amir ◽  
Meabh Cullinane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Maternal And Child Health ◽  
Randomised Trial ◽  
Cluster Randomised Trial ◽  
Breastfeeding Initiation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Breastfeeding Support ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Significant Drop ◽  
And Child Health

Despite high rates of breastfeeding initiation in Australia, there is a significant drop in breastfeeding rates in the early postpartum period, and Australian government breastfeeding targets are not being met. The Supporting breastfeeding In Local Communities (SILC) trial was a three-arm cluster randomised trial implemented in 10 Victorian local government areas (LGAs). It aimed to determine whether early home-based breastfeeding support by a maternal and child health nurse (MCH nurse) with or without access to a community-based breastfeeding drop-in centre increased the proportion of infants receiving ‘any’ breast milk at four months. Focus groups, a written questionnaire and semi-structured interviews were undertaken to explore the interventions from the perspective of the SILC-MCH nurses (n=13) and coordinators (n=6), who established and implemented the interventions. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify themes, then findings further examined using Diffusion of Innovations Theory as a framework. SILC-MCH nurses and coordinators reported high levels of satisfaction, valuing the opportunity to improve breastfeeding in our community; and having focused breastfeeding time with women in their own homes. They felt the SILC interventions offered benefits to women, nurses and the MCH service. Implementing new interventions into existing, complex community health services presented unforeseen challenges, which were different in each LGA and were in part due to the complexity of the individual LGAs and not the interventions themselves. These findings will help inform the planning and development of future programs aimed at improving breastfeeding and other interventions in MCH.

scholarly journals Addressing the mental health needs of adolescents in South African communities: a protocol for a feasibility randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Sorsdahl ◽  
C. van der Westhuizen ◽  
M. Neuman ◽  
H. A. Weiss ◽  
B. Myers
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
At Risk ◽  
South African ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Age Of Onset ◽  
Common Mental Disorders ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Feasibility Trial ◽  
Counselling Intervention ◽  
Health Counselling

Abstract Background Like many low- and middle-income countries, almost half of the proportion of the South African population is under the age of 25. Given the peak age of onset for most mental health problems is in adolescence, it is vital that adolescents have access to mental health counselling. There are several initiatives to increase access to mental health counselling in South Africa, primarily through the integration of counselling for common mental disorders (CMD) into primary health care services, but adolescents (15–18 years of age) generally do not utilize these services. To address this gap, we will undertake a study to explore the feasibility of conducting a trial of the effectiveness of a community-based mental health counselling intervention for adolescents at-risk for a CMD. Methods The study is a feasibility trial of the ASPIRE intervention, a four-session blended multi-component counselling intervention adapted for South African adolescents at risk for depression and alcohol use disorders. We will enrol 100 adolescents from community settings and randomly assign them to the ASPIRE intervention or a comparison condition. Feasibility measures, such as rates of recruitment, consent to participate in the trial and retention, will be calculated. Qualitative interviews with participants and counsellors will explore the acceptability of the intervention. The primary outcomes for a subsequent trial would be reductions in symptoms of depression and days of heavy drinking which will be measured at baseline, 6 weeks, and 3 months post-randomization. Discussion This feasibility trial using a mixed-methods design will allow us to determine whether we can move forward to a larger effectiveness trial of the ASPIRE intervention. Trial registration The trial is registered with the Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR20200352214510). Registered 28 February 2020—retrospectively registered, https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=9795

scholarly journals Parental investment in child health in sub-Saharan Africa: a cross-national study of health-seeking behaviour

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 150460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Uggla ◽  
Ruth Mace
Keyword(s):  
Health Status ◽  
Child Health ◽  
Birth Order ◽  
Parental Investment ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Health Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Investment Theory ◽  
Parental Investment Theory ◽  
Sub Saharan

Parents face trade-offs between investing in child health and other fitness enhancing activities. In humans, parental investment theory has mostly been examined through the analysis of differential child outcomes, with less emphasis on the actions parents take to further a particular offspring’s condition. Here, we make use of household data on health-seeking for children in a high mortality context where such behaviours are crucial for offspring survival. Using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 17 sub-Saharan African countries, we examine whether maternal factors (age, health, marital status) and child factors (birth order, health, sex, age) independently influence parental investment in health-seeking behaviours: two preventative behaviours (malaria net use and immunization) and two curative ones (treating fever and diarrhoea). Results indicate that children with lower birth order, older mothers and mothers with better health status have higher odds of investment. The effects of a child’s sex and health status and whether the mother is polygynously married vary depending on the type of health-seeking behaviour (preventative versus curative). We discuss how these results square with predictions from parental investment theory pertaining to the state of mothers and children, and reflect on some potential mechanisms and directions for future research.

scholarly journals Health Seeking Behaviour and Associated Factors among Pulmonary Tuberculosis Suspects in Lay Armachiho District, Northwest Ethiopia: A Community-Based Study

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eshetu Haileselassie Engeda ◽  
Berihun Assefa Dachew ◽  
Hiwot Kassa Woreta ◽  
Mengistu Mekonnen Kelkay ◽  
Tesfaye Demeke Ashenafie
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Pulmonary Tuberculosis ◽  
Previous History ◽  
Care Facility ◽  
Health Care Facility ◽  
Northwest Ethiopia ◽  
Care Seeking ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Modern Health Care

Studies in the northern part of Ethiopia showed high prevalence of undiagnosed cluster of tuberculosis cases within the community which demanded an investigation of the health care seeking behaviour of tuberculosis suspects. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Lay Armachiho district, Northwest Ethiopia. Individuals who had cough for at least two weeks and aged greater than or equal to 15 years were included in the study. Data were collected by interview using pretested and structured questionnaire. Logistic regression was computed and adjusted odds ratio with 95% confidence interval was calculated. Out of the total population surveyed (29, 735), 663 (2.2%) individuals were found to be pulmonary tuberculosis suspects. Majority of the suspects reported that they had visited a modern health care facility. Those aged 15 to 34 and aged 35–54 had secondary educational level and above; those who were civil servants, those who were farmers, those who had previous history of tuberculosis treatment, and those who perceived that they were sick were more likely to visit a modern health care facility. The proportion of respondents who had taken traditional measures was found to be higher than some other districts. Improving the socioeconomic status of the community is recommended.

Liberalising Health-seeking Behaviour of the Johanne Marange Apostolic Sect in Manicaland, Zimbabwe

2021 ◽  
pp. 097206342110652
Author(s):  
Steven Masvaure
Keyword(s):  
Child Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Conventional Medicine ◽  
Health Seeking Behaviour ◽  
Health Seeking ◽  
Child Health Outcomes ◽  
Women And Children ◽  
Religious Sects ◽  
And Child Health ◽  
Apostolic Church

Religious rights as enshrined in the Zimbabwean constitution are sacrosanct, however, when church doctrine bars followers from seeking modern medical care, they start infringing on health rights especially of the ‘lesser beings’ the women and children who are members of these religious sects. The ‘lesser beings’ are bearing the brunt of high maternal and neonatal mortality as they depend on unsafe traditional birth attendants and unconventional medicine. This study is ethnographic and presents lessons learnt from a programme aiming to improve maternal, newborn and child health outcomes among the Apostolic Church of Johanne Marange members in Manicaland province, Zimbabwe. The findings show that despite the stringent doctrine and barriers placed on apostolic members who want to access conventional medicine, the women and children are using clandestine approaches to circumvent the doctrine and barriers. This article argues that a barrage of unconventional and conventional approaches can lead to changes in health-seeking behaviour of the apostolic church and ultimately maternal and child health outcomes. The article argues that the intransigence of the apostolic can only be overcome by covert approaches to providing health services and save lives.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document