Influence of cultural and traditional beliefs on maternal and child health practices in rural and urban communities in Cross River State, Nigeria

Abstract

Objective: The influence of cultural and traditional beliefs on key maternal and child health practices in the developing nations cannot be overemphasized. This study was carried out to determine the influence of cultural and traditional beliefs on key maternal and child health practices among rural and urban mothers in Cross River State. Materials and Methods: The study design was a comparative analytical cross-sectional study among mothers with under-five children in rural and urban households in Cross River State and the study populations comprised mothers of under-five children and traditional birth attendants in Cross River State. Sampling technique used to select respondents in the rural and urban sites was multistage sampling method and the sample size was determined using standard method of comparing two independent groups. For focus group discussion (FGD), the purposive sampling method was employed in both study sites. The study instrument was a semi-structured questionnaire and data obtained were analyzed using SPSS version 21.0. Results: Statistical analysis showed that the age of mother, husband, and marriage of women from the rural communities were significantly higher (P > 0.05) than that of women from the urban communities. Knowledge of the cultural beliefs of their people concerning maternal and child health is significantly higher in the rural communities than in the urban communities (P < 0.0001). Similarly, there was significant difference in the cultural dispositions of the rural and urban communities to maternal and child health practices (P < 0.05). The results of this study suggest that traditional beliefs influence maternal and child health-care practices in Cross River State, Nigeria. Conclusions: It is therefore concluded that cultural and traditional influences on maternal and child health practices are predominant in rural settings, with positive or indifferent cultural disposition to recommended practice being commonly associated with such practice. Maternal health education as well as education and engagement of traditional leaders are highly recommended. This should be focused at corrective reorientation toward the preference of recommended best practices that they currently do not support while sustaining the effort at encouraging other best practices.

Cultural malpractice during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period and its associated factors among women who gave birth once in Dire Dawa city administration, Eastern Ethiopia, in 2021

“…In this study, women aged 35 and above were more likely to be involved in cultural malpractices during the perinatal period than women aged 15–24 and 25–34. This finding was similar to studies conducted in Mizan aman ( 7 ), Gozamen district ( 21 ), Southern Ethiopia ( 17 ), Nepal ( 22 ), Turkey ( 23 ), and Nigeria ( 19 ). The reason could be that elderly mothers have accepted it as a cultural practice from the past generation.…”

“…The result of the study revealed that the prevalence of cultural malpractices during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postnatal period was 74% [95% CI: 70.59%, 77.49%]. This finding was comparable with studies done in Southern Ethiopia (71.4%) ( 17 ), North Karnataka, India (74.5%) ( 18 ), Zambia (74.9%) ( 11 ), and Cross River State, Nigeria (77.4%) ( 19 ). However, the result of this finding was lower than studies done in African women and the Diasporas (79.9%) ( 8 ), Turkey (84.5%) ( 2 ), Aksum (87.8%) ( 12 ), and KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (79%) ( 20 ).…”

Exploring the risk factors of child malnutrition in Sub-Sahara Africa: A scoping review

“…Borrowing from the Dakar goals and strategies for Education Funding Agency (EFA), there is need for political will and commitment towards EFA, leading to the development of national action plans, significant implementation in basic education as well as the development of informal strategies to reach disadvantaged people and those excluded from formal education (Education Forum, 2002). Additionally, maternal health education and engagement of traditional leaders and families to raise awareness about maternal education and the importance of antenatal education can help remedy the situation (Ikechukwu et al, 2020).…”

Preventive Health Behaviour: Any Possible Link with Perceived Cultural Belief and Fear of Covid-19?

“…All these cultural health-related beliefs have direct and indirect influence on individual's behavior in regard to health prevention [8]. Ikechukwu, et al [9] examined the influence of cultural and traditional beliefs on maternal and child health practices among mothers with under-five children in rural and urban households in Cross River State, Nigeria. The results of their study revealed that cultural and traditional beliefs significantly influenced maternal and child health-care practices in Cross River State, Nigeria.…”