Cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death: a qualitative study among the Lango community in Northern Uganda
Abstract Background Perinatal death has profound psychosocial effects on women and their families. Sociocultural contexts influence the burden, rituals and bereaved’s support. Little is known about cultural beliefs and practices related to perinatal death. This study explored the cultural perspectiv...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-05550-4 |
| _version_ | 1797849809674043392 |
|---|---|
| author | Anna Agnes Ojok Arach Noeline Nakasujja Joseph Rujumba David Mukunya Beatrice Odongkara Milton W. Musaba Agnes Napyo James K. Tumwine Victoria Nankabirwa Grace Ndeezi Juliet Kiguli |
| author_facet | Anna Agnes Ojok Arach Noeline Nakasujja Joseph Rujumba David Mukunya Beatrice Odongkara Milton W. Musaba Agnes Napyo James K. Tumwine Victoria Nankabirwa Grace Ndeezi Juliet Kiguli |
| author_sort | Anna Agnes Ojok Arach |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Perinatal death has profound psychosocial effects on women and their families. Sociocultural contexts influence the burden, rituals and bereaved’s support. Little is known about cultural beliefs and practices related to perinatal death. This study explored the cultural perspectives of the Lango community on perinatal death. Methods This study utilised a focused ethnographic design anchored on a symbolic interactionist framework to understand the meanings attached to beliefs and practices on stillbirth or neonatal death among the Lango community in Lira District, Northern Uganda. Participants were sampled purposively for FGD while key informants were identified through snowballing technique. Data were audio recorded in Lango, transcribed, and later translated, a codebook was developed and data entered into Atlas. ti version 8.4.26 and then coded. It was analysed both deductively and inductively into themes. Results Stillbirth and early neonatal death both attract similar rituals as would an older child. Burial is not rushed and is attended by family members and close friends. Stillbirths and children that die before naming are buried without names. Bereaved families are comforted and encouraged about future pregnancies. Currently, Lango associates the deaths to biomedical explanations such as teenage pregnancies, inadequate pregnancy care, health system challenges and poor health-seeking behaviour, unlike previously when they were attributed to consequences of unacceptable social behaviours, superstitious beliefs and witchcraft. Antenatal care and health facility childbirths are currently preferred over traditional practices for good pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion Stillbirth or early neonatal death is viewed as the death of a child, different from other settings. Thus, rituals are performed to honour, create memory, and maintain the connection with deceased babies. Bereaved parents are supported. Health care workers need to provide culturally sensitive support to parents after perinatal loss. The prevailing beliefs of perinatal death cause in terms of biomedical explanations consistent with known determinants and preference for health facility care for prevention creates an opportunity for improving perinatal health. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:50:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-09c8b5cbcb3e486880c3ad91ce20238d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2393 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T18:50:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth |
| spelling | doaj.art-09c8b5cbcb3e486880c3ad91ce20238d2023-04-09T11:29:19ZengBMCBMC Pregnancy and Childbirth1471-23932023-04-0123111210.1186/s12884-023-05550-4Cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death: a qualitative study among the Lango community in Northern UgandaAnna Agnes Ojok Arach0Noeline Nakasujja1Joseph Rujumba2David Mukunya3Beatrice Odongkara4Milton W. Musaba5Agnes Napyo6James K. Tumwine7Victoria Nankabirwa8Grace Ndeezi9Juliet Kiguli10Department of Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Lira UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health SciencesDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health SciencesDepartment of Public Health, Busitema University Faculty of Health SciencesDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Gulu University Faculty of MedicineDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Busitema University Faculty of Health SciencesDepartment of Public Health, Busitema University Faculty of Health SciencesDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health SciencesDepartment of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health SciencesDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, School of Medicine, Makerere University College of Health SciencesDepartment of Community Health and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, Makerere University College of Health SciencesAbstract Background Perinatal death has profound psychosocial effects on women and their families. Sociocultural contexts influence the burden, rituals and bereaved’s support. Little is known about cultural beliefs and practices related to perinatal death. This study explored the cultural perspectives of the Lango community on perinatal death. Methods This study utilised a focused ethnographic design anchored on a symbolic interactionist framework to understand the meanings attached to beliefs and practices on stillbirth or neonatal death among the Lango community in Lira District, Northern Uganda. Participants were sampled purposively for FGD while key informants were identified through snowballing technique. Data were audio recorded in Lango, transcribed, and later translated, a codebook was developed and data entered into Atlas. ti version 8.4.26 and then coded. It was analysed both deductively and inductively into themes. Results Stillbirth and early neonatal death both attract similar rituals as would an older child. Burial is not rushed and is attended by family members and close friends. Stillbirths and children that die before naming are buried without names. Bereaved families are comforted and encouraged about future pregnancies. Currently, Lango associates the deaths to biomedical explanations such as teenage pregnancies, inadequate pregnancy care, health system challenges and poor health-seeking behaviour, unlike previously when they were attributed to consequences of unacceptable social behaviours, superstitious beliefs and witchcraft. Antenatal care and health facility childbirths are currently preferred over traditional practices for good pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion Stillbirth or early neonatal death is viewed as the death of a child, different from other settings. Thus, rituals are performed to honour, create memory, and maintain the connection with deceased babies. Bereaved parents are supported. Health care workers need to provide culturally sensitive support to parents after perinatal loss. The prevailing beliefs of perinatal death cause in terms of biomedical explanations consistent with known determinants and preference for health facility care for prevention creates an opportunity for improving perinatal health.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-05550-4CulturePerspectivesBeliefsPracticesStillbirthPerinatal death |
| spellingShingle | Anna Agnes Ojok Arach Noeline Nakasujja Joseph Rujumba David Mukunya Beatrice Odongkara Milton W. Musaba Agnes Napyo James K. Tumwine Victoria Nankabirwa Grace Ndeezi Juliet Kiguli Cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death: a qualitative study among the Lango community in Northern Uganda BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth Culture Perspectives Beliefs Practices Stillbirth Perinatal death |
| title | Cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death: a qualitative study among the Lango community in Northern Uganda |
| title_full | Cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death: a qualitative study among the Lango community in Northern Uganda |
| title_fullStr | Cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death: a qualitative study among the Lango community in Northern Uganda |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death: a qualitative study among the Lango community in Northern Uganda |
| title_short | Cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death: a qualitative study among the Lango community in Northern Uganda |
| title_sort | cultural beliefs and practices on perinatal death a qualitative study among the lango community in northern uganda |
| topic | Culture Perspectives Beliefs Practices Stillbirth Perinatal death |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-023-05550-4 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT annaagnesojokarach culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT noelinenakasujja culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT josephrujumba culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT davidmukunya culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT beatriceodongkara culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT miltonwmusaba culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT agnesnapyo culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT jamesktumwine culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT victorianankabirwa culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT gracendeezi culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda AT julietkiguli culturalbeliefsandpracticesonperinataldeathaqualitativestudyamongthelangocommunityinnorthernuganda |