Background Understanding communities’ beliefs about the causes of illnesses in sick young infants (SYIs) is key to strengthening interventions and improving newborn health outcomes. This study explored communities' perception of the etiology of illnesses in SYIs 0–59 days old in four counties in Kenya. Methods We used an exploratory qualitative study design. Data were collected between August and September 2018 and involved 23 in-depth interviews with female caregivers aged 15-24years; 25 focus group discussions with female caregivers aged 15–18 years, 19–24 years and 25–45 years; and 7 focus group discussions with fathers aged 18–34 years and 35 or more years. Participants were purposely sampled, only those with SYIs 0–59 days old were eligible to participate. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis framework approach. Results Female caregivers and fathers attributed illnesses in SYIs 0–59 days old to natural (biomedical) and supernatural causes which sometimes co-existed. There were commonalities in perceived natural causes of illness in SYIs across sites, age groups and gender. Perceived natural causes of illness in SYIs include unfavorable environmental and hygiene conditions, poor maternal and child nutrition, and healthcare practices. Perceived supernatural causes of illness in SYIs such as ‘evil eyes’ were common across the four counties while others were geographically unique such as the belief that owls cause illnesses. Conclusion Communities’ understanding of the etiology of illnesses in SYIs in the study settings overlapped between natural and supernatural causes. There is need for child health programmes to take into consideration communities’ beliefs and practices regarding disease and health to improve newborn health outcomes.
Background Female genital mutilation (FGM) curtails women’s health, human rights and development. Health system as a critical pillar for social justice is key in addressing FGM while executing the core mandate of disease prevention and management. By leveraging opportune moments, events and experiences involving client-provider interactions, relevant FGM-related communications, behavior change and management interventions can be implemented through health facilities or in communities. It is unclear whether Kenyan health system has maximized this strategic advantage and positioning to address FGM. Objective Determine the quality of services offered to women with FGM across health facilities in West Pokot county, Kenya. Methods A mixed quantitative data collection strategies were used. These included: client-provider interactions observations with (61) health care workers (HCWs) and women with FGM seeking services; client-exit interviews with (360) women with FGM seeking services. These approaches sought to determine the content and quality of FGM-related care services; and service data abstractions involving records on services sought/offered from (10) facilities in West Pokot. Results A large (76%) proportion of women had experienced FGM aged 11–15 years, were married between 15 and 19 years (39%), had primary (47.5%) or no education (33%) with income <30 USD/month (43%). Only 14.8% HCWs identified FGM and related complications (11.5%) during consultations. Few FGM-related prevention interventions were implemented with IEC materials (4.9%) for reinforcing preventive messages lacking. Infrastructure (88.5%) for reproductive health services existed albeit limited human resources (14.8%) and capacity (42.6%) for FGM prevention and management; few (16%) health facilities and workers explained the negative consequences of FGM and need for stopping it (15.3%); and while data on women who sought antenatal (ANC), postnatal (PNC) and family planning (FP) care services were available no information of those with FGM or related complications. Conclusion Health systems in high prevalent settings actively interface with women with FGM, despite the primary reason for seeking services not being FGM. Despite high number of women having undergone the cut, diagnosis, prevention, care services, and documentation of FGM and related complications are suboptimal. This underscores the need for health system strengthening in response to the practice with consideration for training kits for HCWs, empowering HCWs, anchoring of FGM indicators in the HMIS, documentation and IEC material to support FGM prevention at service delivery points, and overall integration of FGM into health programs.
Introduction Several global initiatives put parent involvement at the forefront of enabling children’s well-being and development and to promote quality of care for newborns and hospitalized young children aged 0–24 months. Scanty evidence on mistreatment such as delays or neglect and poor pain management among newborns exists, with even less exploring the experience of their parents and their hospitalized young children. To address this gap, authors reviewed research on experience of care for hospitalized young children and their parents, and potential interventions that may promote positive experience of care. Methods A scoping review of English language articles, guidelines, and reports that addressed the experiences of care for newborns and sick young children 0–24 months in health facilities was conducted. Multiple databases: PubMed, PROSPERO, COCHRANE Library and Google Scholar were included and yielded 7,784 articles. Documents published between 2009 and November 2020, in English and with evidence on interventions that addressed family involvement and partnership in care for their sick children were included. Results The scoping review includes 68 documents across 31 countries after exclusion. Mistreatment of newborns comprises physical abuse, verbal abuse, stigma and discrimination, failure to meet professional standards, poor rapport between providers and patients, poor legal accountability, and poor bereavement and posthumous care. No literature was identified describing mistreatment of hospitalized children aged 60 days– 24 months. Key drivers of mistreatment include under-resourced health systems and poor provider attitudes. Positive experience of care was reported in contexts of good parent-provider communication. Three possible interventions on positive experience of care for hospitalized young children (0–24 months) emerged: 1) nurturing care; 2) family centered care and 3) provider and parental engagement. Communication and counseling, effective provider-parental engagement, and supportive work environments were associated with reduced anxiety and stress for parents and hospitalized young children. Few interventions focused on addressing providers’ underlying attitudes and biases that influence provider behaviors, and how they affect engaging with parents. Conclusion Limited evidence on manifestations of mistreatment, lack of respectful care, drivers of poor experience and interventions that may mitigate poor experience of care for hospitalized young children 0–24 months especially in low resource settings exists. Design and testing appropriate models that enhance socio-behavioral dimensions of care experience and promote provider-family engagement in hospitals are required.
Background Despite efforts to incorporate experience of care for women and newborns in global quality standards, there are limited efforts to understand experience of care for sick newborns and young infants. This paper describes the manifestations, responses, and consequences of mistreatment of sick young infants (SYIs), drivers, and parental responses in hospital settings in Kenya. Methods A qualitative formative study to inform the development of strategies for promoting family engagement and respectful care of SYI was conducted in five facilities in Kenya. Data were collected from in-depth interviews with providers and policy makers (n = 35) and parents (n = 25), focus group discussions with women and men (n = 12 groups), and ethnographic observations in each hospital (n = 64 observation sessions). Transcribed data were organized using Nvivo 12 software and analyzed thematically. Results We identified 5 categories of mistreatment: 1) health system conditions and constraints, including a) failure to meet professional standards, b) delayed provision of care; and c) limited provider skills; 2) stigma and discrimination, due to provider perception of personal hygiene or medical condition, and patient feelings of abandonment; 3) physically inappropriate care, including providers taking blood samples and inserting intravenous lines and nasogastric tubes in a rough manner; or parents being pressured to forcefully feed infants or share unsterile feeding cups to avoid providers’ anger; 4) poor parental-provider rapport, expressed as ineffective communication, verbal abuse, perceived disinterest, and non-consented care; and 5) no organized form of bereavement and posthumous care in the case of infant’s death. Parental responses to mistreatment were acquiescent or non-confrontational and included feeling humiliated or accepting the situation. Assertive responses were rare but included articulating disappointment by expressing anger, and/or deciding to seek care elsewhere. Conclusion Mistreatment for SYIs is linked to poor quality of care. To address mistreatment in SYI, interventions that focus on building better communication, responding to the developmental needs of infants and emotional needs for parents, strengthen providers competencies in newborn care, as well as a supportive, enabling environments, will lead to more respectful quality care for newborns and young infants.
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