Influence of Cultural and Religious Practices on the Management of Pregnancy at Mbombela Municipality, South Africa: An Explorative Study

Background: Cultural norms bring substantial weight in women’s decision-making, especially concerning the choice of the birth location. Cultural and religious practices may influence how pregnant women respond to Antenatal Care (ANC) services, feel confident about which questions to ask, or participate in the discussions about their care plan or birth options. Purpose: The study aimed to explore and describe the influence of cultural practices on the management of pregnancy in the Mbombela Municipality of Mpumalanga Province. Methods: Using a qualitative approach, pregnant women who failed to completely attend ANC services were purposively sampled, and individual unstructured in-depth interviews were employed to collect data. The study consisted of a sample size of 18 pregnant women, and data saturation was reached. Tech’s method of analysis was followed for data analysis. Results: Study findings revealed a significant theme: cultural practices and pregnancy management, encompassing three sub-themes: cultural practices in pregnancy, cultural medication taken by pregnant women, and the effects of cultural practices on pregnancy management. Conclusion: It is recommended that women should be given health education concerning ANC services every day while they wait in primary health care clinics. Accordingly, the healthcare professionals should encourage the active involvement of all pregnant women in health promotion gatherings and offer chances for clarity seeking. Despite the availability of free maternal healthcare services in primary healthcare clinics, women still consult traditional healers during pregnancy and believe in cultural practices. It is therefore important that programs developed for maternal services be congruent to the cultural practices of women to be serviced.

Download Full-text

Self-delay for Timely Antenatal Care, Rituals and Heavy-Handed in-laws: Cultural Practices Killing Pregnant Women in Zambia- Lundazi district

TEXILA INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH ◽

10.21522/tijph.2013.08.04.art009 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (4) ◽

pp. 79-86

Author(s):

Patricia Mambwe

Keyword(s):

Antenatal Care ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Cultural Practices ◽

Traditional Healers ◽

Focus Group Discussions ◽

Maternal Complications ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Maternal Deaths ◽

Traditional Medicines ◽

Maize Field

This study examined socio-cultural practices surrounding maternal deaths in Lundazi district –Zambia. The practices stealthily affect antenatal care received by antenatal women with subsequent maternal complications and deaths. Four Focus Group Discussions involving 40 members of Small Motherhood Action Groups (SMAGs) were conducted in March 2018.This study found that pregnant women in Lundazi district- Zambia delay to initiate antenatal care until 6th or 7th month of their pregnancy. The reasons given include fear of witchcraft stealing the human embryo for magic. Pregnant women are delayed further as they seek traditional medicines from Traditional Healers for pregnancy protection. Other pregnant women cannot attend antenatal care consistently because their mothers-in-law want them to do what is considered beneficial for a woman traditionally- do house chores or join the team going to the maize field. Late antenatal initiation is a crisis. It is an emergency in waiting for which some pregnant women never recover.

Download Full-text

Use of healthcare services at time of delivery: a prospective community based study in Madagascar

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckaa166.908 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽

Author(s):

D Pourette ◽

T V Andrianantoandro ◽

F M J Rakotoarimanana ◽

M Razakamanana ◽

O Rakotomalala ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Health Facility ◽

Health Workers ◽

Qualitative Interviews ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Traditional Healers ◽

June July ◽

A Prospective Study ◽

Close Family

Abstract Background Maternal mortality remains high in Madagascar (478 deaths per 100,000 live births) and more than 60% of birth are not assisted by professional health workers. This study aimed to determine factors that influence choices of delivery place in two municipalities of Vakinakaratra region. Methods This was a prospective study. 245 pregnant women in the 2nd and 3rd trimester of pregnancy were included and surveyed during Oct-Nov 2016. The same women were re-surveyed 3 months or more after their respective deliveries (June-July 2017). Binary logistic regression was used and the analysis were supported by qualitative interviews conducted with 35 women from the sample, 7 community health workers, 5 professionals health workers and 15 traditional healers and traditional births attendants or 'reninjaza'. Results Overall, 91.8 % of women intended to give birth at health facilities. The reasons given are the quality of services and the medical support in case of complications, the registration of birth and the referrals and encouragement from reninjaza. However, out of 229 mothers interviewed after delivery, only 60.7% gave birth in a health facility. Educated mothers were ORa=6.6 (p < 0.001) times more likely to deliver at health facility and mothers with at least 4 births are ORa=0.17 (p < 0.01) times less likely to do it. The qualitative analysis highlights the cost (logistics and care) as well as the fear of caesarean sections as a brake on childbirth in a health facility. The distance from the health center and the lack of preparation to travel there were also identified. Decisions at the time of childbirth come under the close family. Conclusions Use of maternity services remains low. The implementation of free delivery care policies, formalizing the collaboration between reninjaza and health workers and raising awareness among close family should improve the access to healthcare. Key messages Collaborations between health workers and traditional healers should be formalized. The close family of pregnant women (spouse, mother, mother-in-law) should be the target of awareness raising strategies.

Download Full-text

Factors associated with underutilisation of antenatal care services in Limpopo, South Africa

British Journal of Midwifery ◽

10.12968/bjom.2020.28.11.788 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 28 (11) ◽

pp. 788-795

Author(s):

Seani Adrinah Mulondo

Keyword(s):

South Africa ◽

Antenatal Care ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Cultural Practices ◽

Neonatal Morbidity ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Early Presentation ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Care Services

Background The aim of this study was to explore and describe factors associated with underutilisation of antenatal care services. In South Africa, maternal and child healthcare services are provided free of charge. Despite this, utilisation of antenatal care services remains a major public health challenge. Literature affirms that 96% of pregnant women present at antenatal care services only after 12 weeks of pregnancy, and this is influenced by several factors. Women's attitude plays an integral role. Methods This study used a qualitative, exploratory, descriptive design. Purposive and convenient sampling methods were used to select 10 hospitals and 83 pregnant women, respectively. Ten focus group discussions were conducted to collect data. Trustworthiness was ensured by means of Guba's model and data were analysed, qualitatively, using Tesch's eight steps. Results The majority of the pregnant women (83%) were from rural areas, had unplanned pregnancies, had five pregnancies/children or more, factors that are associated with underutilisation of antenatal care services. Cultural practices and beliefs regarding early presentation to antenatal care services and its effect on pregnancies were also found to be associated with underutilisation. Conclusions Some pregnant women do not consider antenatal care services as essential and choose to present late, despite the knowledge that monitoring of maternal health during pregnancy by midwives could prevent maternal and neonatal morbidity, while improving maternal and neonatal health and wellness. Recommendations include the provision of information and education materials to women, as well as health education, to sensitise and increase women's awareness of the urgency in utilising antenatal care services.

Download Full-text

Prevalence and Correlates of Prenatal Depression, Anxiety and Suicidal Behaviours in the Volta Region of Ghana

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18115857 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (11) ◽

pp. 5857

Author(s):

Nuworza Kugbey ◽

Martin Ayanore ◽

Phidelia Doegah ◽

Masauso Chirwa ◽

Susan A. Bartels ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Suicidal Behavior ◽

Partner Violence ◽

Severity Index ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Prenatal Depression ◽

Suicidal Behaviors ◽

Chi Squared ◽

Volta Region

Pregnancy is associated with several physical and psychosocial challenges that influence women’s health and wellbeing. However, prenatal mental health has received little attention. Therefore, this study examined the prevalence and correlates of prenatal depression, anxiety and current suicidal behaviors among pregnant women in the Volta Region of Ghana. Two hundred and fourteen (n = 214) pregnant women recruited from two hospitals responded to the hospital depression and anxiety scale (HADS), the insomnia severity index, and a set of psycho-behavioral, socioenvironmental and demographic characteristic questions. Chi-squared, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used for data analysis. Prevalence of prenatal depression, anxiety and current suicidal behaviors was 50.5%, 35.5% and 3.3%, respectively. After controlling for other variables, average monthly income, insomnia, non-nutritious food consumption (pica), and body image satisfaction were significantly associated with depression. Marital status, insomnia, lifetime suicidal behavior and partner support were significantly associated with anxiety. Current partner abuse was the only factor significantly associated with current suicidal behavior. The high prevalence rates of anxiety and depression among pregnant women and intimate partner violence remain important maternal health issues in the region. Therefore, brief mental health screening and counseling services should be integrated into prenatal healthcare services.

Download Full-text

A Resilient Care of the Patient With COVID-19: A Phenomenological Study

International Quarterly of Community Health Education ◽

10.1177/0272684x211033454 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0272684X2110334

Author(s):

Parvaneh Asgari ◽

Alun C. Jackson ◽

Ali Khanipour-Kencha ◽

Fatemeh Bahramnezhad

Keyword(s):

Problem Solving ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Spiritual Care ◽

Phenomenological Study ◽

Psychiatric Nurses ◽

Religious Practices ◽

Iranian Family ◽

Data Saturation ◽

Multiple Media ◽

Media Channels

This study a utilized phenomenological hermeneutic design. Fourteen Iranian family caregivers of patients with COVID-19 who were isolated at home were included in the study using purposive sampling. In-depth unstructured interviews were conducted via WhatsApp. Sampling continued until data saturation. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using Van Manen’s approach. Three primary themes and eight subthemes emerged. The primary themes included: “captured in a whirlpool of time”, “resilient care’ and “feeling helpless”. It seems that the families of patients with COVID-19 attempt to resist the pressures of this disease with religious practices and problem solving. However, due to the nature of the disease and its severity, they sometimes feel ashamed or lonely and are afraid of losing their loved ones. It is recommended that psychiatric nurses should develop programs in the form of comprehensive spiritual care packages or psychological support and utilize multiple media channels to deliver these.

Download Full-text

Framing Pesan Dakwah di Media Sosial

Jurnal Komunikasi Islam ◽

10.15642/jki.2017.7.1.66-86 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 66-86

Author(s):

Winda Primasari ◽

Yudha Asmara Dwi Aksa

Keyword(s):

Information Technology ◽

Critical Thinking ◽

Cultural Practices ◽

Religious Practices ◽

Framing Analysis ◽

Depth Interview ◽

Communication And Information Technology

The development of communication and information technology is not only changing the economic, social, political, and cultural practices, but it is also changing the religious practices, including for da’wah activities called as E-da’wah (Electronic da’wah). This study attempts to investigate the construction of da’wah message used by Ustadz Felix Y. Siaw dan Ustadz Yusuf Mansur in his facebook fanpage. Using Pan and Kosicki’s framing analysis and in doing so utilizing in-depth-interview in collecting the data, this research has revealed that the most da’wah messages shared on both ustadz’s facebook fanpages are carefully constructed to encourage religious discussion amongst followers, and to increase their critical thinking and their piety.

Download Full-text

Hearing healthcare gaps in LMICS: snapshot from a semi-urban community in Nigeria

African Health Sciences ◽

10.4314/ahs.v21i2.53 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (2) ◽

pp. 912-918

Author(s):

Adebolajo Adeyemo ◽

Segun Ogunkeyede ◽

Oluyinka Dania

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Urban Communities ◽

Healthcare Delivery ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Traditional Healers ◽

Medical Intervention ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Ear Diseases

Background: Low and middle-income countries (LMICs) have high prevalence of hearing loss which are mainly due to pre- ventable causes. While urban communities in LMICs are likely to have functional hearing healthcare delivery infrastructure, rural and semi-urban communities may have different reality. Objectives: This study aimed to provide: (i) a snapshot of the burden of ear diseases and (ii) a description of available hearing healthcare resources in a semi-urban Nigerian community. Methods: A cross-sectional study of households selected by multistage random sampling technique. Seventy-four partici- pants: 39 males and 35 females with mean age of 34 years ± 5.24 were recruited and answered a structured questionnaire. In addition, the availability of hearing healthcare services in 15 health centers within the community were determined. Results: All participants reported recent occurrence of ear complaints or gave similar history in a household member. Com- mon complaints were ear discharge, ear pain and hearing loss. Medical intervention was sought from patent medicine stores, hospitals and traditional healers. None of the assessed hospitals within the study site was manned by an ENT surgeon or ENT trained nurse. Conclusion: Despite the heavy burden of ear complaints there is inadequate hearing healthcare delivery in a typical LMIC community. This highlights the need for urgent improvement of hearing healthcare. Keywords: Hearing loss; healthcare delivery; disease burden; ear diseases; developing countries.

Download Full-text

Development of a co-produced tool for monitoring and supporting the mental health of young people

BJPsych Open ◽

10.1192/bjo.2021.711 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (S1) ◽

pp. S267-S267

Author(s):

Joy MacKeith ◽

Anna Good ◽

Sara Burns

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Psychometric Properties ◽

Internal Consistency ◽

Healthy Lifestyle ◽

Care Plan ◽

Medium Effect ◽

Service Users ◽

Extensive Experience ◽

Active Involvement

AimsThe aims were to develop and validate a tool for monitoring and supporting the mental health of young people. Based on extensive experience of developing similar tools, the hypothesis was that a user-friendly tool could be produced with sound psychometric properties.BackgroundThe Outcomes Star is a suite of collaboratively completed, strengths-based tools with the dual roles of both supporting and monitoring change. Service users are empowered through their active involvement in identifying their strengths and creating their care plan. Triangle, the creators of the Outcomes Star was approached by a number of organisations to develop a version of the Star for young people with mental health issues in early intervention services and also to support young people in managing a diagnosed mental illness.MethodUsing a series of focus groups and an iterative process of refinement we gathered data from practitioners and service users on the domains in which they wish to create change, and the steps of the change process. A draft version of the new tool was piloted in two organisations by 67 workers and 177 young people over six months. The pilot data were analysed to assess the psychometric properties of My Mind Star (acceptability, skew, factor structure, internal consistency, item redundancy and responsiveness).ResultThe resulting tool, My Mind Star consisted of seven domains: Feelings and emotions, Healthy lifestyle, Where you live, Friends and relationships, School, training and work, How you use your time and Self-esteem. Almost all young people and practitioners (94%) agreed that their completed Star was ‘a good summary of my life right now’ and that it gave a better idea of service users’ support needs. Psychometric analyses indicated a unidimensional structure with good internal consistency (α = .76) and no item redundancy. My Mind Star was responsive to change between the first and second readings, with medium and small-medium effect sizes.ConclusionInitial findings suggest that My Mind Star has good psychometric properties and is perceived as acceptable and useful by young people and practitioners, Further research is planned to conduct a full validation of the psychometric properties of this Star including inter-rater reliability and predictive validity.Financial sponsorship of the study: Action for Children

Download Full-text

An IoMT-based geriatric care management system for achieving smart health in nursing homes

Industrial Management & Data Systems ◽

10.1108/imds-01-2019-0024 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 119 (8) ◽

pp. 1819-1840 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Valerie Tang ◽

K.L. Choy ◽

G.T.S. Ho ◽

H.Y. Lam ◽

Y.P. Tsang

Keyword(s):

Nursing Homes ◽

Real Time ◽

Health Monitoring ◽

Management System ◽

Care Management ◽

Healthcare Services ◽

Geriatric Care ◽

Care Plan ◽

Biometric Data ◽

Content Type

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop an Internet of medical things (IoMT)-based geriatric care management system (I-GCMS), integrating IoMT and case-based reasoning (CBR) in order to deal with the global concerns of the increasing demand for elderly care service in nursing homes. Design/methodology/approach The I-GCMS is developed under the IoMT environment to collect real-time biometric data for total health monitoring. When the health of an elderly deteriorates, the CBR is used to revise and generate the customized care plan, and hence support and improve the geriatric care management (GCM) service in nursing homes. Findings A case study is conducted in a nursing home in Taiwan to evaluate the performance of the I-GCMS. Under the IoMT environment, the time saving in executing total health monitoring helps improve the daily operation effectiveness and efficiency. In addition, the proposed system helps leverage a proactive approach in modifying the content of a care plan in response to the change of health status of elderly. Originality/value Considering the needs for demanding and accurate healthcare services, this is the first time that IoMT and CBR technologies have been integrated in the field of GCM. This paper illustrates how to seamlessly connect various sensors to capture real-time biometric data to the I-GCMS platform for responsively supporting decision making in the care plan modification processes. With the aid of I-GCMS, the efficiency in executing the daily routine processes and the quality of healthcare services can be improved.

Download Full-text