Towards a comprehensive breastfeeding-friendly workplace environment: insight from selected healthcare facilities in the central region of Ghana

Abstract Background In the last three decades, Ghana has championed the objectives of Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiatives to provide pregnant women and nursing mothers with the skills and support systems necessary for attaining optimal breastfeeding. Yet, little is known in literature on how these intervention regimes practically promote breastfeeding-friendly work environment in healthcare facilities and their level of effectiveness. This study explores the extent to which healthcare facilities in Ghana’s Effutu Municipality provide breastfeeding-friendly workplace environment to breastfeeding frontline health workers. Methods A descriptive mixed-method approach was employed to collect data from fifty-four participants, comprising healthcare facility representatives and breastfeeding frontline health workers. A self-administered questionnaire with structured responses was administered to frontline health workers, followed by interview guides for representatives of hospital management. Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview responses. Responses to questionnaires were processed with SPSS version 23.0 and presented using frequencies and percentages. Results Three main themes emerged, namely, Standpoints on workplace breastfeeding support; Breastfeeding support, and Suggested future directions. Beyond this, six sub-themes emerged, including backings for workplace breastfeeding support; perceived benefits of breastfeeding support; factors of poor breastfeeding workplace support; maternity protection benefits; workplace support gaps, and awareness creation on benefits. Breastfeeding frontline health workers held that their hospitals have no breastfeeding policy (96%), no breastfeeding facility (96%), they do not go to work with baby (96%), but had 12 weeks maternity leave (96%) and worked half-day upon return to work (70%). Conclusion Health facilities in the study do not provide a breastfeeding-friendly work environment except for the privileges provided by the Labor Act and conditions of service. Continuous advocacy on breastfeeding workplace support and stakeholder engagement to build consensus on the mix of strategies suitable to cushion breastfeeding frontline health workers is recommended for optimal breastfeeding and improved productivity.

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Towards A Comprehensive Breastfeeding-Friendly Workplace Environment: Insight From Selected Health Facilities In The Central Region of Ghana

10.21203/rs.3.rs-122512/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Jacqueline N/A Nkrumah ◽

Aaron Asibi Abuosi ◽

Rodney Buadi Nkrumah

Keyword(s):

Work Environment ◽

Maternity Leave ◽

Health Workers ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Health Facilities ◽

Breastfeeding Support ◽

Workplace Environment ◽

Healthcare Facilities ◽

Workplace Support ◽

Frontline Health Workers

Abstract Background In the last three decades, Ghana has championed the objectives of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative to provide pregnant women and nursing mothers with skills and support necessary for optimal breastfeeding. Yet, little is known about practical interventions to promote breastfeeding friendly work environment in healthcare facilities. This study explores the extent to which healthcare facilities in Effutu Municipality provide breastfeeding friendly workplace environment to breastfeeding frontline health workers. Methods A descriptive mixed-method approach was employed to collect data from healthcare facility representative and breastfeeding frontline health workers. Self-administered questionnaire with structured responses and interview guide were used to collect data. Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview responses. Survey responses were processed with SPSS version 23.0 and presented using frequencies and percentages.Results Three main themes, namely, Standpoints on workplace breastfeeding support; Breastfeeding support, suggested future directions and six sub-themes, including backings for workplace breastfeeding support; perceived benefits of breastfeeding support; factors of poor breastfeeding workplace support; maternity protection benefits; workplace support gaps, and awareness creation on benefits were identified to explain the extent to which health facilities provide breastfeeding friendly workplace environment. Breastfeeding frontline health workers said their hospitals have no breastfeeding policy (96%), no breastfeeding facility (96%), do not go to work with baby (96%), but went on 12 weeks maternity leave (96%) and work half-day (70%) on return to work.ConclusionHealth facilities in the study do not provide breastfeeding friendly work environment except the privileges provided by the Labor Act. Continuous advocacy on breastfeeding workplace support and stakeholder engagement to build consensus on the mix of strategies suitable to cushion breastfeeding frontline health workers against work-breastfeeding stress and minimize its negative impact on optimal breastfeeding among frontline health workers is recommended.

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Mothers’ Experience In Support Of Exclusive Breastfeeding: Scoping Review

Jurnal Kebidanan Midwiferia ◽

10.21070/midwiferia.v6i1.507 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 38-46

Author(s):

Nidya Comdeca Nurvitriana ◽

Atik Triratnawati ◽

Warsiti

Keyword(s):

Work Environment ◽

Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Health Workers ◽

Data Extraction ◽

World Health ◽

Breastfeeding Support ◽

Additional Food ◽

Health Organization ◽

Research Criteria

Exclusive breastfeeding is one of the important strategies to reduce child mortality which has been recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). Exclusive breastfeeding is defined as the provision of nutritional intake to infants from the first time of birth until at least 6 months can without additional food and drinks. In 2016 WHO showed that the average level of breastfeeding worldwide was only 38% which occurred in urban areas. In the city area it was found that many breastfeeding mothers worked and obstacles and support arose. Working mothers have low trust and intention so as to increase the frequency of failure to give exclusive breastfeeding. This study aims to review support for exclusive breastfeeding. The systematic literature review covers eight stages, namely: Identifying middle frequency problems, Determining priority problems and research questions, Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria, literature search, Selecting articles, data extraction, Critical Assessment, Data collection and Mapping. Data searched from Pubmed and Onesearch. The researchers, then, examined the feasibility of finding documents. Finally, researchers found 9 documents that research criteria. Information on exclusive breastfeeding support was found from 5 journals, namely internal factors (self, family), while external factors (health workers, work environment) were found from 5 journals from 9 journals. The highest influence of support was a work environment characterized by a lack of support from facilities, coworkers, workloads of institutions that influenced the mothers' own intentions. The mother's experience of getting support from exclusive breastfeeding includes internal (self, family) and external (health worker, work environment).

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PULSE OXIMETRY IMPLEMENTATION WITH RURAL FRONTLINE HEALTH WORKERS DURING THE OUTPATIENT CARE OF CHILDREN WITH CLINICALLY SUSPECTED PNEUMOCOCCAL PNEUMONIA IN MALAWI: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

10.26226/morressier.5731f0d5d462b8029237f952 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Eric McCollum

Keyword(s):

Observational Study ◽

Pulse Oximetry ◽

Outpatient Care ◽

Pneumococcal Pneumonia ◽

Prospective Observational Study ◽

Health Workers ◽

Frontline Health Workers

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DEEP SCOPE: A Framework for Safe Healthcare Design

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18157780 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (15) ◽

pp. 7780

Author(s):

Ellen Taylor ◽

Sue Hignett

Keyword(s):

Human Factor ◽

Healthcare Facility ◽

Built Environments ◽

Facility Design ◽

Healthcare Facilities ◽

Healthcare Design ◽

Accident Causation ◽

Healthcare Facility Design

Thinking in patient safety has evolved over time from more simplistic accident causation models to more robust frameworks of work system design. Throughout this evolution, less consideration has been given to the role of the built environment in supporting safety. The aim of this paper is to theoretically explore how we think about harm as a systems problem by mitigating the risk of adverse events through proactive healthcare facility design. We review the evolution of thinking in safety as a safety science. Using falls as a case study topic, we use a previously published model (SCOPE: Safety as Complexity of the Organization, People, and Environment) to develop an expanded framework. The resulting theoretical model and matrix, DEEP SCOPE (DEsigning with Ergonomic Principles), provide a way to synthesize design interventions into a systems-based model for healthcare facility design using human factors/ergonomics (HF/E) design principles. The DEEP SCOPE matrix is proposed to highlight the design of safe healthcare facilities as an ergonomic problem of design that fits the environment to the user by understanding built environments that support the “human” factor.

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Examining local perspectives on the influence of climate change on the health of Hamer pastoralists and their livestock in Ethiopia

Pastoralism Research Policy and Practice ◽

10.1186/s13570-021-00191-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Samuel Lumborg ◽

Samuel Tefera ◽

Barry Munslow ◽

Siobhan M. Mor

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Water Scarcity ◽

Health Workers ◽

Animal Health ◽

Disease Outbreaks ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Local Health ◽

Framework Analysis ◽

Healthcare Facilities ◽

Grazing Lands

AbstractThis study explores the perceived influence of climate change on the health of Hamer pastoralists and their livestock in south-western Ethiopia. A combination of focus group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted with Hamer communities as well as local health workers, animal health workers and non-governmental organisation (NGO) staff. Thematic framework analysis was used to analyse the data. Reductions in rangeland, erratic rainfall, recurrent droughts and loss of seasonality were perceived to be the biggest climate challenges influencing the health and livelihoods of the Hamer. Communities were travelling greater distances to access sufficient grazing lands, and this was leading to livestock deaths and increases in ethnic violence. Reductions in suitable rangeland were also precipitating disease outbreaks in animals due to increased mixing of different herds. Negative health impacts in the community stemmed indirectly from decreases in livestock production, uncertain crop harvests and increased water scarcity. The remoteness of grazing lands has resulted in decreased availability of animal milk, contributing to malnutrition in vulnerable groups, including children. Water scarcity in the region has led to utilisation of unsafe water sources resulting in diarrhoeal illnesses. Further, seasonal shifts in climate-sensitive diseases such as malaria were also acknowledged. Poorly resourced healthcare facilities with limited accessibility combined with an absence of health education has amplified the community’s vulnerability to health challenges. The resilience and ambition for livelihood diversification amongst the Hamer was evident. The introduction of camels, increase in permanent settlements and new commercial ideas were transforming their livelihood strategies. However, the Hamer lack a voice to express their perspectives, challenges and ambitions. There needs to be collaborative dynamic dialogue between pastoral communities and the policy-makers to drive sustainable development in the area without compromising the values, traditions and knowledge of the pastoralists.

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Community health worker models in South Africa: a qualitative study on policy implementation of the 2018/19 revised framework

Health Policy and Planning ◽

10.1093/heapol/czaa172 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Joshua P Murphy ◽

Aneesa Moolla ◽

Sharon Kgowedi ◽

Constance Mongwenyana ◽

Sithabile Mngadi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Policy Implementation ◽

Community Health ◽

Resource Constraints ◽

Health Workers ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Successful Implementation ◽

Programme Implementation ◽

Healthcare Facilities

Abstract South Africa has a long history of community health workers (CHWs). It has been a journey that has required balancing constrained resources and competing priorities. CHWs form a bridge between communities and healthcare service provision within health facilities and act as the cornerstone of South Africa’s Ward-Based Primary Healthcare Outreach Teams. This study aimed to document the CHW policy implementation landscape across six provinces in South Africa and explore the reasons for local adaptation of CHW models and to identify potential barriers and facilitators to implementation of the revised framework to help guide and inform future planning. We conducted a qualitative study among a sample of Department of Health Managers at the National, Provincial and District level, healthcare providers, implementing partners [including non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who worked with CHWs] and CHWs themselves. Data were collected between April 2018 and December 2018. We conducted 65 in-depth interviews (IDIs) with healthcare providers, managers and experts familiar with CHW work and nine focus group discussions (FGDs) with 101 CHWs. We present (i) current models of CHW policy implementation across South Africa, (ii) facilitators, (iii) barriers to CHW programme implementation and (iv) respondents’ recommendations on how the CHW programme can be improved. We chronicled the differences in NGO involvement, the common facilitators of purpose and passion in the CHWs’ work and the multitude of barriers and resource limitations CHWs must work under. We found that models of implementation vary greatly and that adaptability is an important aspect of successful implementation under resource constraints. Our findings largely aligned to existing research but included an evaluation of districts/provinces that had not previously been explored together. CHWs continue to promote health and link their communities to healthcare facilities, in spite of lack of permanent employment, limited resources, such as uniforms, and low wages.

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