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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
medicine
Women's groups' perceptions of maternal health issues in rural Malawi
Lancet, Volume 368, No. 9542, Year 2006
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Description
Background: Improvements in preventive and care-seeking behaviours to reduce maternal mortality in rural Africa depend on the knowledge and attitudes of women and communities. Surveys have indicated a poor awareness of maternal health problems by individual women. We report the perceptions of women's groups to such issues in the rural Mchinji district of Malawi. Methods: Participatory women's groups in the Mchinji district identified maternal health problems (172 groups, 3171 women) and prioritised problems they considered most important (171 groups, 2833 women). In-depth qualitative data was obtained through six focus-group discussions with the women's groups, three with women's group facilitators, and four interviews with facilitator supervisors. Findings: The maternal health problems most commonly identified by more than half the groups were anaemia (87%), malaria (80%), retained placenta (77%), obstructed labour (76%), malpresentation (71%), antepartum and postpartum haemorrhage (70% each), and pre-eclampsia (56%). The five problems prioritised as most important were anaemia (sum of rank score 304), malpresentation (295), retained placenta (277), obstructed labour (276). and postpartum haemorrhage (275). HIV/AIDS and sepsis were identified or prioritised much less because complexity and contextual factors hindered their consideration. Interpretation: Rural Malawian women meeting in participatory groups showed a developed awareness of maternal health problems and the concern and motivation to address them. Community mobilisation strategies, such as women's groups, might be effective at reducing maternal mortality because they can draw on the collective capacity in communities to solve problems and make women's voices heard by decision-makers. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Rosato, Mikey
United Kingdom, London
Ucl Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
Mwansambo, Charles C.V.
Malawi, Lilongwe
Kamuzu Central Hospitals
Kazembe, Peter Nicholas
Malawi, Lilongwe
Kamuzu Central Hospitals
Phiri, Tambosi
Malawi, Lilongwe
Maimwana Project
Soko, Queen S.
Malawi, Lilongwe
Maimwana Project
Lewycka, Sonia
United Kingdom, London
Ucl Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
Kunyenge, Beata E.
Malawi, Lilongwe
Maimwana Project
Vergnano, Stefania
United Kingdom, London
Ucl Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
Osrin, David
United Kingdom, London
Ucl Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
Newell, Marie Louise
South Africa, Durban
University of Kwazulu-natal
Costello, Anthony Ml De L.
United Kingdom, London
Ucl Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health
Statistics
Citations: 94
Authors: 11
Affiliations: 4
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69475-0
ISSN:
01406736
Research Areas
Infectious Diseases
Maternal And Child Health
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study
Study Approach
Qualitative
Study Locations
Malawi
Participants Gender
Female