Childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana: a qualitative study using the ecological systems theory
Abstract Background While appropriate care for children is essential for optimal growth and protection against child morbidity and mortality, teenage mothers have been shown to deviate from the recommended childcare practices. This study explored the childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghan...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2021-01-01
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| Series: | BMC Public Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09889-7 |
| _version_ | 1818614042081624064 |
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| author | Reuben Foster Twintoh Prince Justin Anku Hubert Amu Eugene Kofour Maafo Darteh Kwaku Kissah Korsah |
| author_facet | Reuben Foster Twintoh Prince Justin Anku Hubert Amu Eugene Kofour Maafo Darteh Kwaku Kissah Korsah |
| author_sort | Reuben Foster Twintoh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background While appropriate care for children is essential for optimal growth and protection against child morbidity and mortality, teenage mothers have been shown to deviate from the recommended childcare practices. This study explored the childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana using Ecological Systems Theory by Bronfenbrenner as a theoretical framework. Methods Employing qualitative approach to inquiry, evidence was drawn from 30 teenage mothers using in-depth interviews. The data were analysed and presented following systematic qualitative-oriented text analysis strategy with verbatim quotes from study participants to support the emergent themes. Results It was evident that teenage mothers have limited skills in childcare practices and often resorted to practices with potentially adverse health outcomes for their children. They, for instance, applied hot towels they had heated with hot stones to the children’s umbilical stump. We found that teenage mothers were not in sync with their macro- and exo-systems, thereby depriving themselves and their babies of the much-needed guidance and support in caring for their babies. Teenage mothers were often confused and sometimes clueless about best childcare practices at a given point in time. Conclusions Childcare practices by teenage mothers are far from the ideal. To improve on child health (especially children born to teenage mothers), efforts at both the macro- and exo-systems should be directed at exposing teenage mothers to best child care practices that inure to the benefits of their children. Ante- and postnatal visits should be used to provide specific education for mothers, especially first-time teenage mothers on the care needs of babies and how to provide these needs. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:11:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-fa351d98b0db47a1a578bd1f3bb19527 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T16:11:43Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj.art-fa351d98b0db47a1a578bd1f3bb195272022-12-21T22:25:12ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582021-01-0121111210.1186/s12889-020-09889-7Childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana: a qualitative study using the ecological systems theoryReuben Foster Twintoh0Prince Justin Anku1Hubert Amu2Eugene Kofour Maafo Darteh3Kwaku Kissah Korsah4Department of Population and Health, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape CoastDepartment of Population and Health, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape CoastDepartment of Population and Behavioural Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Health and Allied SciencesDepartment of Population and Health, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape CoastDepartment of Population and Health, College of Humanities and Legal Studies, University of Cape CoastAbstract Background While appropriate care for children is essential for optimal growth and protection against child morbidity and mortality, teenage mothers have been shown to deviate from the recommended childcare practices. This study explored the childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana using Ecological Systems Theory by Bronfenbrenner as a theoretical framework. Methods Employing qualitative approach to inquiry, evidence was drawn from 30 teenage mothers using in-depth interviews. The data were analysed and presented following systematic qualitative-oriented text analysis strategy with verbatim quotes from study participants to support the emergent themes. Results It was evident that teenage mothers have limited skills in childcare practices and often resorted to practices with potentially adverse health outcomes for their children. They, for instance, applied hot towels they had heated with hot stones to the children’s umbilical stump. We found that teenage mothers were not in sync with their macro- and exo-systems, thereby depriving themselves and their babies of the much-needed guidance and support in caring for their babies. Teenage mothers were often confused and sometimes clueless about best childcare practices at a given point in time. Conclusions Childcare practices by teenage mothers are far from the ideal. To improve on child health (especially children born to teenage mothers), efforts at both the macro- and exo-systems should be directed at exposing teenage mothers to best child care practices that inure to the benefits of their children. Ante- and postnatal visits should be used to provide specific education for mothers, especially first-time teenage mothers on the care needs of babies and how to provide these needs.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09889-7Childcare practicesLived experiencesTeenage mothersEcological systems theory (EST)Ghana |
| spellingShingle | Reuben Foster Twintoh Prince Justin Anku Hubert Amu Eugene Kofour Maafo Darteh Kwaku Kissah Korsah Childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana: a qualitative study using the ecological systems theory BMC Public Health Childcare practices Lived experiences Teenage mothers Ecological systems theory (EST) Ghana |
| title | Childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana: a qualitative study using the ecological systems theory |
| title_full | Childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana: a qualitative study using the ecological systems theory |
| title_fullStr | Childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana: a qualitative study using the ecological systems theory |
| title_full_unstemmed | Childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana: a qualitative study using the ecological systems theory |
| title_short | Childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana: a qualitative study using the ecological systems theory |
| title_sort | childcare practices among teenage mothers in ghana a qualitative study using the ecological systems theory |
| topic | Childcare practices Lived experiences Teenage mothers Ecological systems theory (EST) Ghana |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-09889-7 |
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