Masters in Public Health and Leadership (Save the Mothers)

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    Experiences of Attending Maternal Health Education Sessions Among Women From the Islands of Lake Kivu, Rusizi District, Rwanda; a Qualitative Research
    (2024-04-12) Adriana Jacoba Lena Bergman
    Background The maternal mortality ratio in Rwanda remains high at 245 (2017) deaths per 100,000 live births (WHO, 2019). Besides improving maternal health, women’s positive experiences during ANC and childbirth can create the foundation for healthy motherhood (WHO, 2016). Maternal health education is an useful intervention to promote health care, birth preparedness and reduce the maternal mortality rate. The purpose of this study is to identify the gaps and contribute to improving maternal health education to improve maternal health and positive experiences of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and post-natal period. Research Methodology Qualitative phenomenological research has been conducted to investigate the experiences of maternal health education sessions among women of reproductive age (15-49 years) from the islands of Gihaya, Nkombo, and Ishywa, Rusizi-district, Rwanda. Primary data has been collected through face-to-face verbal semi-structured interviews. All interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim in English. The data was analyzed by open coding, axial coding, and selected coding. Results and findings The experiences are multidimensional and interlinked. From the data analysis, three main themes came up, which have been used to identify the women's experiences. The first theme is: 1. My life has improved. This theme shows the personal change and narratives of the participants. The second theme: 2. happiness and joy, whereby the participants describe their feelings. The third theme: 3. expectations, needs, and improvement, whereby the participants describe their expectations, needs, and improvement toward maternal health education. Conclusion Based on qualitative analysis of the data collected in the research area it can be concluded that the experiences of women on the islands of Gihaya, Nkombo, and Ishywa were mainly positive. Suggesting that maternal health education sessions contributed to a positive experience in pregnancy.
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    Breastfeeding Practices and Experiences Among Working Mothers: A Case Study of Primary School Teachers and Nurses in Goma Division, Mukono Municipality
    (2024-04-11) Stella Asayo
    Introduction: Public health specialists recognize that breastfeeding is an unmatched way of providing ultimate food for the healthy growth and development of infants. In fact, it is recognized as an integral part of the reproductive process with important implications for the health of both the infant and the mothers. To this, global world health experts recommend that all newborns should be exclusively fed on breast milk without any additional food or drink for up to six months. Methods: This was purely qualitative research that adopted a case study research design with the aim of finding out the experiences of mothers in formal employment practicing breastfeeding and how work influences breastfeeding among formally employed mothers in Goma Division-Mukono Municipality. Findings: The study findings revealed that mothers in formal employment experience heavy work load, tight work schedules, very minimal institutional support towards practicing breastfeeding; as such most of breastfeeding mothers ended up failing in principles to successfully achieve the goal of breastfeeding their infants. Results: The researcher recommends government to consider extending the maternity leave duration from the current 3 months to 6 months with flexible working hours to breastfeeding mothers to allow them sufficient time to breastfeed, and the government should make regular follow ups with all intuitions to ensure that they implement the maternity leave policy to breastfeeding mothers. Key works: Breastfeeding, work experience, maternal leave, institutional support
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    Level and Factors Associated With Utilization of Postnatal Care Services Among Mothers in Iganga General Hospital
    (2023) Betty Nakintu
    Introduction: PNC is very critical for detection and management of complications in postpartum period for protecting maternal and child health unfortunately the PNC utilization is still low in Uganda. On average in Uganda postnatal care service utilization is lower at 54% and in Iganga hospital was estimated to be at 23% (AHSR, 2021). Objective: The main objective of the study was to determine level and assess factors associated with utilization of postnatal care services among mothers within one week, at 2 weeks and 6 weeks in iganga general hospital in Iganga general hospital. Method: Analytical cross-sectional study design was used to collect quantitative data on the level and factors associated with PNC services at Iganga hospital. Data was collected using semi structured questionnaires for Young Child Clinic (YCC) services. A total of 177 participants were interviewed on socio-demographic characteristics, PNC services utilization and its associated factors. SPSS version was used to analyze the data. Results: Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression models were fitted to identify factors associated with postnatal care utilization within one week, at 2 weeks and at 6 weeks at p value of < 0.05. The study revealed that the level of PNC utilization was at 28% which is lower than the national average of 54%. The identified associated factors with significance were; lack of information on PNC at p-value of 0.001, Husband support at p-value of 0.002, health workers not providing a full PNC package at p-value 0.002 and lack of privacy at p-value of 0.010. Recommendations: Health providers should always educate pregnant women on PNC utilization during ANC visits as it prepares mothers to utilize the service and this improves health outcomes for both mothers and babies. Always provide privacy and offer a full PNC package to mothers and their babies in the postnatal unit. Iganga Hospital and other health stakeholders in Iganga district should sensitize male spouses on the importance of PNC and to fully support their female spouses. I also recommend for further research on PNC utilization in other districts of Uganda for appropriate inference and attract the attention of policy makers.
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    Lived Experiences of Seeking Care for Infertility Among Women at Two Selected Fertility Centers in Kampala District
    (Uganda Christrian University, 2023-09) Jude C. Onwueme
    Infertility is a complex challenge and a medical condition which affects many individuals globally. It affects both males and females in diverse proportions informing a plethora of unpleasant experiences which inflicts pains. In most cultures the world over, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, women bear the burden of “involuntary childlessness”, which over 48million couples around the globe are faced with. Women living with infertility are constrained to prove their womanhood through motherhood, thus informing their quest for treatment even from a wide range of unqualified medics and unheralded sources. The quest to achieve conception through treatment, presents with physical, social, psychological, spiritual and financial challenges. This study explored the perceptions about infertility which the women seeking treatment had, their perceptions of the causes of infertility and adjoining risk factors, the challenges they face as it relates to the cost of treatment and the coping mechanisms (strategies) they employed while undergoing treatment, at two fertility centres in Kampala district. In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 women seeking treatment for infertility, selected and recruited using purposive sampling method (in which the participants were randomly picked). Data generated from the study showed that most women seeking treatment for infertility had limited knowledge about infertility and its causes. Also, the cost of treatment of infertility was a burden to most women thus adversely influencing accessibility of treatment and completion of treatment. It was also observed that women employed different mechanisms in their bid to cope with the treatment. Therefore, effective dissemination of information on infertility and its causes, would ameliorate challenges faced. Financial interventions through health insurance schemes are also needed in order to present women seeking treatment with the opportunity of achieving conception. Concerted efforts should also be made by fertility treatment providers and care givers, towards assisting women seeking treatment in coping effectively.
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    Uptake and Factors Associated with Cervical Cancer Screeing Among Women Seeking Family Planning Services at Kawempe National Referral Hospital
    (Uganda Christian University, 2023-09) Anita Nimusiima
    Purpose of the study. Cervical cancer screening among women seeking family planning services at Kawempe National Referral Hospital. The study aimed to determine the uptake of cervical cancer screening and establish factors associated with cervical cancer screening among women seeking family planning services at Kawempe National Referral Hospital. Methods. The study design was a descriptive cross-sectional study, which measured factors associated with women seeking family planning services at Kawempe National Referral Hospital. Primary data was obtained from women seeking family planning services using semi-structured questionnaires and Key informant interviews at Kawempe National Referral Hospital. Results. The participants were 138 women aged 18 to 49 years. Forty-nine percent of the respondents had attained ordinary level of education, 32.61% were Protestants and 17.39% were Pentecostal.43.58% agree with lack of access to information, 37.68% agree that take long in the line because women who come for the services are many. 40.58% agree that services are only during weekdays and 32.61% agree that cervical cancer screening services reach their community.34.78% disagree that costs are high, 31.16% disagree with poor infrastructure and 47.10% agree with lack of transport to visit health centers. Just over one-third fear receiving a diagnosis of the disease, 31.88% agree that the vaginal examination to carry out the test is embarrassing but 40.58% disagree that there was no privacy since it is done by male providers. Twenty-nine percent disagree that a woman has to get permission from her husband. 71.01% agree that they have ever heard about Cervical cancer, but only 65.22% have ever heard about cervical cancer screening and only 30.43% have done cervical cancer screening. The uptake of Cervical cancer screening was low, only one-third of the respondents have done cervical cancer screening. Conclusion. Nearly two-thirds of the women had ever heard of cervical cancer and nearly the same number had heard of cancer screening but only one-third had carried out cervical cancer screening suggesting a big gap between knowledge and practice.