Malaria in Pregnancy: What Can the Social Sciences Contribute?

Ribera, Joan Muela; Hausmann-Muela, Susanna; D’Alessandro, Umberto; Grietens, Koen Peeters

doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.0040092

Cited by 43 publications

(68 citation statements)

References 19 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…In an earlier article on the possible contributions from the social sciences to research on malaria in pregnancy, the authors cite an example from Burkina Faso of women who prefer “the baby to grow after giving birth instead of before” and thus having bigger babies could be considered an undesired effect of malaria treatment [51]. During data collection, a similar preference for delivering small babies was only identified in the neighbouring northern Ghana.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local illness concepts and their relevance for the prevention and control of malaria during pregnancy in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi: findings from a comparative qualitative study

Meñaca

Pell

Manda-Taylor

et al. 2013

Malar J

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundIn sub-Saharan Africa, the burden of morbidity and mortality linked to malaria during pregnancy (MiP) is significant and compounded by its unclear symptoms and links with other health problems during pregnancy. Mindful of the biomedical and social complexity of MiP, this article explores and compares local understandings of MiP and their links with other pregnancy-related health problems.MethodsA comparative qualitative study was undertaken at four sites in three countries: Ghana, Malawi and Kenya. Individual and group interviews were conducted with pregnant women, their relatives, opinion leaders, other community members and health providers. MiP-related behaviours were also observed at health facilities and in local communities.ResultsAcross the four sites, local malaria concepts overlapped with biomedically defined malaria. In terms of symptoms, at-risk groups, outcomes and aetiology of malaria during pregnancy, this overlap was however both site-specific and partial. Moreover, the local malaria concepts were not monolithic and their descriptions varied amongst respondents. The symptoms of pregnancy and malaria also overlapped but, for respondents, symptom severity was the distinguishing factor. Malaria was generally, though not universally, perceived as serious for pregnant women. Miscarriage was the most widely known outcome, and links with anaemia, low birth weight and congenital malaria were mentioned. Nonetheless, amongst many potential causes of miscarriage, malaria was not recognized as the most important, but rather interacted with other pregnancy-related problems.ConclusionsGiven the overlap of common pregnancy problems with the symptoms of malaria, and the limited association of malaria with its main outcomes, a comprehensive antenatal care programme is the most appropriate strategy for the provision of health education, prevention and treatment for MiP. Variations in locally shared understandings of MiP must however be taken into account when designing and promoting MiP intervention strategies.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Local illness concepts and their relevance for the prevention and control of malaria during pregnancy in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi: findings from a comparative qualitative study

Meñaca

Pell

Manda-Taylor

et al. 2013

Malar J

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Interviews were conducted using a structured pre-tested questionnaire adapted from the conceptual framework proposed by Ribera et al [20]. Women between the ages of 15 and 49 years who had a pregnancy within the past 12 months that lasted until at least the third trimester, regardless of pregnancy outcome, were eligible to participate.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determinants of Use of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy: Jinja, Uganda

et al. 2010

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

BackgroundMaternal malaria is associated with serious adverse pregnancy outcomes. One recommended means of preventing malaria during pregnancy is intermittent preventive therapy (IPTp) with sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP). We sought to identify determinants of preventive use of SP during pregnancy among recently pregnant women in Uganda. Additionally, we characterized the timing of and indications for the administration of SP at antenatal care (ANC) visits and missed opportunities for SP administration.Methodology/Principal FindingsUtilizing a population-based random sample, we interviewed 500 women living in Jinja, Uganda who had been pregnant in the past year. Thirty-eight percent (192/500) of women received SP for the treatment of malaria and were excluded from the analysis of IPTp-SP. Of the remaining women, 275 (89.3%) reported at least two ANC visits after the first trimester and had an opportunity to receive IPTp-SP according to the Ugandan guidelines, but only 86 (31.3%) of these women received a full two-dose course of IPTp. The remaining 189 (68.7%) women missed one or more doses of IPTp-SP. Among the 168 women that were offered IPTp, 164 (97.6%) of them took the dose of SP.Conclusions/SignificanceUse of IPTp in Uganda was found to be far below target levels. Our results suggest that women will take SP for IPTp if it is offered during an ANC visit. Missed opportunities to administer IPTp-SP during ANC were common in our study, suggesting provider-level improvements are needed.

show abstract

“…By suggesting several possibilities, the present study participants rightly noted that there was not a single measure that could remain as a stand-alone for adoption toward an optimal and effective improvement of MCH services. The interdependence of some of the elements or factors identified by the respondents may not appear as obvious to everybody, but simple economics shows the possibility, for example of user fee implementation at HF level for specific services or general services deterring service use, at least by the poorest segments of the community, and particularly in relation to IPTp Ribera et al, 2007;Worrall et al, 2007).…”

Section: Implications For the Proposed Measures For Improving Delivermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The national IPTp guidelines emphasizes that the clients eligible to receive IPTp doses should be given health educational messages about the use and benefits of SP (MoHSW 2004). However, there is still shortage of empirical evidence based on rigorous studies to inform policy on issues relating to community 9and in particular pregnant women's) knowledge on ANC service and its implications on the accessibility and utilization of IPTp-SP in SSA (Pell et al, 2011;Ribera et al, 2007;Nganda et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge and perceptions of antenatal services need and delivery and reasons for seeking such services among women in Tanzania: Implications for utilization and coverage of intermittent presumptive treatment of malaria in pregnancy in two districts

Mubyazi¹

2015

RWJour

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Learning from a volume of the literature that lacks information regarding people's opportunity to access health services for disease control, a study was conducted to assess knowledge, perceptions of antenatal care (ANC) services and actually delivered services and reasons for seeking ANC including intermittent presumptive treatment during pregnancy (IPTp) against malaria in Mkuranga and Mufindi districts, Tanzania. Methodology: Quantitative and qualitative techniques were employed, involving interviews with ANC clients, informal communications with health care workers, focus group discussions with mothers of young children, and intertemporal observations. Data were collected for six months in 2006. Results: ANC seeking was mainly influenced by motivation for one's safe pregnancy and childbirth and not necessarily and specifically seeking IPTp. The main barriers reported to hinder pregnant women effectively utilize ANC include socio-cultural values stigmatizing and discriminating women during pregnancy, service providers' unfriendly attitudes towards clients, shortages of drugs and other essential service supplies, existence of user-fees in health facilities, and pregnant women's unawareness of essential ANC services needed or actually delivered at ANC clinics. Conclusion: While client demand for services depends on volume, cost/price and quality of services supplied, lack of knowledge of what one deserves also influences one's care seeking behavior. Therefore, it is imperative to do periodic evaluations of population knowledge, perceptions of the introduced policy, and service delivery programs if the health care system is to be made more effective by providing a room for corrective actions.

show abstract

Malaria in Pregnancy: What Can the Social Sciences Contribute?

Abstract: Building on existing knowledge from social science work on malaria, the authors propose two models for studying social science aspects of malaria in pregnancy.

Cited by 43 publications

References 19 publications

Local illness concepts and their relevance for the prevention and control of malaria during pregnancy in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi: findings from a comparative qualitative study

Local illness concepts and their relevance for the prevention and control of malaria during pregnancy in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi: findings from a comparative qualitative study

Determinants of Use of Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in Pregnancy: Jinja, Uganda

Knowledge and perceptions of antenatal services need and delivery and reasons for seeking such services among women in Tanzania: Implications for utilization and coverage of intermittent presumptive treatment of malaria in pregnancy in two districts

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About