Introduction
In the realm of healthcare, particularly in special education and therapy services, understanding cultural practices and beliefs is crucial for effective intervention. A recent qualitative study conducted in Pemba, Tanzania, provides valuable insights into community, hospital staff, and care providers' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding delivery, newborn, and cord care. This blog explores how practitioners can enhance their skills by implementing the study's findings or encouraging further research.
Understanding the Context
The study was conducted in Pemba Island, part of the Zanzibar archipelago, to explore community attitudes and practices related to newborn and cord care. With high neonatal mortality rates in Tanzania, this research aimed to inform interventions that could improve newborn survival rates. The study involved 80 in-depth interviews and 11 focus group discussions with various community members, including mothers, grandmothers, fathers, and traditional birth attendants (TBAs).
Key Findings and Implications
The research highlighted several critical areas:
- Institutional Deliveries: While hospital deliveries were considered safer, barriers such as poor transportation, cost, and negative experiences at hospitals led many women to deliver at home.
- Newborn Care Practices: Early initiation of breastfeeding and feeding colostrum was almost universal. However, immediate bathing of newborns, especially in home deliveries, was a common practice, increasing the risk of hypothermia.
- Cord Care: The importance of cord care was well recognized, with nearly all TBAs counseling mothers to protect the cord from infections. There was a strong consensus on the potential success of chlorhexidine (CHX) liquid cord cleansing if proper education and awareness were provided.
Implementing the Findings
Practitioners in special education and therapy services can leverage these findings to enhance their skills and interventions:
- Education and Training: Educate community members, especially TBAs and mothers, on the importance of hygienic practices during delivery and cord care. Training programs can be developed to ensure the proper application of CHX for cord care.
- Cultural Sensitivity: Understanding and respecting cultural beliefs and practices is essential. Practitioners should work collaboratively with community leaders and healthcare providers to address barriers to institutional deliveries and promote positive newborn care practices.
- Further Research: Encourage further research to explore the long-term impact of CHX cord care in reducing neonatal infections and mortality. Collaborate with local health authorities to implement and evaluate pilot programs.
Conclusion
The study in Pemba, Tanzania, provides valuable insights into newborn and cord care practices that can inform interventions to improve neonatal health outcomes. By understanding and implementing these findings, practitioners can enhance their skills and contribute to reducing neonatal mortality rates in similar contexts.
To read the original research paper, please follow this link: Delivery, immediate newborn and cord care practices in Pemba Tanzania: a qualitative study of community, hospital staff and community level care providers for knowledge, attitudes, belief systems and practices.
