BackgroundSub-Saharan African countries have been the worst affected by the high incidence of maternal and child mortality rates and HIV/AIDS (human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome) pandemic. Preventive care is the area that requires serious attention as a lot of maternal and child morbidity and mortality can be averted through rendering comprehensive care to women of child-bearing age. Preconception care (PCC) is recognised as an important factor in improving pregnancy outcome; yet, most primary health care (PHC) nurses lack the necessary resources to render PCC.AimTo describe the PHC nursing student’s knowledge of and attitude towards the provision of PCC.SettingHigher Education Institution that offers PHC programme at six different sites to nurses working in the PHC clinics in the province.MethodsA quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive study design was used. The total population from three sites selected, based on their geographical location were all invited to participate in the study. Questionnaire was used to collect data which was subsequently analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 24.ResultsThe response rate was approximately 85% (n = 138). The respondents have practised in the PHC clinic for more than 1 year. Study centre, age and area of employment were found to be predictors of knowledge, but no direct association was found between the demographic factor and attitude. Furthermore, a significant difference was found between knowledge and age, and between the area of employment and attitude.ConclusionPHC nursing students were knowledgeable and had a favourable attitude towards PCC, but the absence of PCC resources in many practices has hindered them to a greater extent. It is recommended that for proper implementation of PCC to occur, health care workers should be provided with the necessary resources.
Preconception care is biomedical, behavioural, and social health interventions provided to women and couples before conception. This service is sometimes prioritised for women at high risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes. Evidence revealed that only very few women in Africa with severe chronic conditions receive or seek preconception care advice and assessment for future pregnancy. Thus, this study aimed to explore the perceptions and practice of preconception care by healthcare workers and high-risk women in Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa. This exploratory, descriptive qualitative study utilised individual in-depth interviews to collect data from 24 women at high risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and five healthcare workers. Thematic analysis was conducted using Nvivo version 12. Five main themes that emerged from the study include participants’ views, patients’ access to information, practices, and perceived benefits of preconception care. The healthcare workers were well acquainted with the preconception care concept, but the women had inconsistent acquaintance. Both groups acknowledge the role preconception care can play in the reduction of maternal and child mortality. A recommendation is made for the healthcare workers to use the ‘One key’ reproductive life plan question as an entry point for the provision of preconception care.
Background: Preconception care (PCC) utilisation is essential to extend and complete the health continuum. However, these services are not yet incorporated into many low-income countries’ existing maternal health services.Aim: This study aims to review the current literature on the knowledge, utilisation and provision of PCC.Setting: This included women and healthcare workers (HCWs) in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries.Methods: Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review methodology framework is used in this study. The following databases, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, Scopus and Dissertation via ProQuest, were searched. Articles that met the eligibility criteria were included in this study.Results: Out of the 451 retrieved articles, 39 were relevant. In most studies, women’s utilisation and HCW’s provision of PCC were considered limited. Their knowledge, however, varies between studies, and there were a few studies conducted among women with chronic conditions. Several factors influenced women and HCWs’ knowledge, utilisation and provision of PCC, including age, level of education, employment, practice area, resources and knowledge. Preconception care interventions most commonly identified, utilised and provided were HIV testing, counselling and family planning, while preconception folic acid supplementation was the least.Conclusion: The estimates of knowledge and utilisation were suboptimal among women, while provision was the worst affected among HCWs. Gaps exist between the HCW knowledge and practice of PCC. There is a need to promote, prioritise, integrate and optimise the opportunistic provision of PCC in SSA. There is also a need for more studies on PCC provision and utilisation among women with chronic medical conditions.
Despite the prioritisation of contraceptives in the sustainable development goals for 2030 and their increasing availability, unplanned pregnancy remains a universal problem, representing up to 40 per cent of all reported pregnancies. Many sub-Saharan African countries, including South Africa, have resorted to the use of implanted contraceptives, such as Implanon, to decrease the rate of unintended pregnancies. Therefore, this study sought to assess the knowledge, attitude and use regarding the Implanon contraceptive method among undergraduate nursing students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 undergraduate nursing students who were selected using a stratified random sampling technique. Data were collected through questionnaires and analysed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 24. The results revealed that 37 (61.7%) of the respondents were between the ages of 18 and 19 years and none were married or divorced. Fifty-five (91.7%) of them had no children, while 5 (8.3%) had experienced an unintended pregnancy before. Twenty-five (41.7%) of the respondents were not aware of the availability of Implanon, while 35 (58.3%) of them had unfavourable attitudes to the contraceptive method. The results also revealed a significant relationship between certain socio-demographic variables, especially between age and the experience of an unintended pregnancy (p = 0.006). Based on these findings, efforts should be made to promote contraceptive education and counselling. Further research, preferably qualitative research, is needed to explore the reasons for the unfavourable attitude to the implanted contraceptive method.
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