Newborn Care Practices of Mothers in Arab Societies: Implication for Infant Welfare

Arabiat, Diana; Whitehead, Lisa; Jabery, Mohammad Al; Darawad, Muhammad W.; Geraghty, Sadie; Halasa, Suhaila

doi:10.1177/1043659618794256

Cited by 11 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 34 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…This suggests that while belief in the ‘evil eye’ is embedded in the folklore of Arab societies, as well as some Islamic societies (Abu‐Rabia , Arabiat et al. ), use of certain folk remedies which are not always a reflection of faith. Previous studies indicate that an amulet use is not limited to Arab culture as Turks (Kayabasi & Yanar ) and North Africa communities (Abu‐Rabia ) use amulets for similar reasons.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This study is part of a larger qualitative study about health beliefs and folk models of illness among Arab families. Part 1 reported on analysis of immediate and early post‐partum care practices among Arab societies, and is published elsewhere (Arabiat et al., ). The study was commenced in June 2016, following obtaining institutional review board approval from the University of Jordan (ethics approval dated 26/5/2016).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The findings of this study can be used by nurses and midwives who have questions about what traditional remedies a mother of Arab heritage might be using. In addition, nurses need to be open to listening to patients and acknowledging their practice of traditional remedies while evaluating risks to create a culturally congruent plan that can be safely implemented with patients (Arabiat et al., ). We argue that nurses have a dual responsibility to acquire the cultural awareness and interpersonal skills needed to cope with the limited information regarding the clinical value of traditional practices.…”

Section: Implications For Nursing and Health Policymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This community is related to shared culture and one language rather than sharing the same ethnicity. Women in those societies make up a variety of cultures that can influence the welfare of an infant and newborn (Arabiat et al., ). Nursing practices accommodating individuals’ and family's cultural needs can help promoting positive client–nurse relationship (Bawadi & Al‐Hamdan ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Traditional methods for managing illness in newborns and infants in an Arab society

Arabiat

Whitehead

Jabery

et al. 2019

International Nursing Review

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Aim This study explored self‐management practices in relation to traditional methods for managing illness in newborns and infants and the implications of these practices on infant health. Background Self‐medication with folk remedies is believed to have short‐ and long‐term impacts on well‐being. Little is known about how mothers in Arab societies used their traditional beliefs and practices in self‐managing their newborns’ and infants’ health. Methods Data were collected from five focus groups using open‐ended questions with 37 mothers. Participants were selected using snowball sampling and were recruited from four different cities in Jordan between June 2016 and August 2016. Ethical approval All identifying information regarding the study participants has been omitted, and this study was approved by the Academic Research Committee at the University of Jordan. Findings Mothers were more willing to try herbal remedies, traditional massage and certain foods to self‐manage their infants’ health. Folk remedies were not restricted to traditions handed down through generations, but included a representation of newly emerged trends towards ‘safety’ or ‘nature’. Conclusions While the use of folk remedies have been handed down generations as customs, today, virtual support groups and social media provide modern resources for folk remedies’ promotion in care and self‐management. Implications for nursing and health policy Nursing and health policymakers can use our findings for planning and developing strategies and health policies that increase public awareness about adverse health effects associated with herbal remedies. Such strategies are likely to be facilitated through partnerships between nursing and midwifery education institutions, antenatal clinics and social media in the region.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Implications For Nursing and Health Policymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Traditional methods for managing illness in newborns and infants in an Arab society

Arabiat

Whitehead

Jabery

et al. 2019

International Nursing Review

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It has been suggested that a person interested in folk remedies may use a complex system of traditional remedies mostly based on psychosocial interventions, mild herbs, ritualistic behaviour or household items. 2 , 3 The use of folk remedies to manage illness is often influenced by family beliefs and the natural or social environment they live in. 4 , 5 In this instance, understanding the relationship between health beliefs and traditional practices is important in conceptualising the capacity of families to manage illness during acute or chronic illness.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beliefs About Illness and Treatment Decision Modelling During Ill-Health in Arabic Families

Arabiat¹,

Whitehead²,

Jabery³

et al. 2021

JMDH

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: The use of self-prescribed antibiotics and other unproven herbal remedies is common in the Arab world. Understanding how family members decide to manage illness is an important priority for health care providers. Purpose: This paper presents a new model that can be viewed as an extension to the Health Belief Model and help clarifies the cognitive processes families use to manage illness in an Arab family in Jordan. It aims to generate an understanding of family beliefs about the causes of illness and appraisal of how best to manage illness in an Arab family. Methods: A qualitative approach using a family interview method was used to collect data. Twenty-five families participated in semi-structured interviews designed to elicit representational models of illness and treatment-decisions. Results: Thematic analysis revealed two forms of intertwined beliefs: core beliefs (fatalistic) and secondary beliefs (biomedical, supernatural and situational beliefs). Four key elements were identified as underpinning the involvement of family in treatment decision: perceived threat of illness, efficacy of treatment option, cost or availability and family prior experience. Conclusion: An understanding of the health belief model and related cognitive appraisal processes used by families may assist health care providers to engage with and overcome some of the social, cultural, and structural variables that could influence how family members decide to manage illness in Jordan.

show abstract

The Use of Complementary Medicine During Childbearing Years: A Multi-Country Study of Women From the Middle East

Arabiat

Whitehead

Gaballah

et al. 2022

Global Qualitative Nursing Research

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The prevalence of self-prescribed complementary medicine (CM) use is an area of concern across the Middle East. We conducted a descriptive qualitative study to describe women’s use of CM during their childbearing years in Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iran. The study conducted using face to face audio-recorded interviews with 70 participants. Our findings showed that women used several herbal plants to ease pain and discomfort during menstruation and/or during pregnancy and in postpartum care. Acupuncture, meditation, and massage were less likely to be used by women. The impact of CM was often described in relation to perceived usefulness and safety of herbs. Cultural beliefs and roles of women contributed to the use of herbs among women. Given the high use of herbal medicine, there is a need for discussion about the potential of adverse effects of some plants or their metabolites following self-medication during the childbearing years.

show abstract

Newborn Care Practices of Mothers in Arab Societies: Implication for Infant Welfare

Abstract: It is important for nurses and midwives to be aware of traditional practices, cultural beliefs, and the implications for infant welfare if they are to effectively engage with families to promote the well-being of the newborn.

Cited by 11 publications

References 34 publications

Traditional methods for managing illness in newborns and infants in an Arab society

Traditional methods for managing illness in newborns and infants in an Arab society

Beliefs About Illness and Treatment Decision Modelling During Ill-Health in Arabic Families

The Use of Complementary Medicine During Childbearing Years: A Multi-Country Study of Women From the Middle East

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About