Perceptions of Malawian Nurses about Nursing Interventions for Malnourished Children and Their Parents

Abstract

In developing countries, malnutrition among children is a major public-health issue. The aim of the study was to describe perceptions of Malawian nurses about nursing interventions for malnourished children and their parents. A qualitative method was used. Data were collected and analyzed according to the phenomenographic research approach. Twelve interviews were performed with 12 nurses at a rural hospital in northern Malawi, Southeast Africa. Through the analysis, two major concepts, comprising four categories of description, emerged: managing malnutrition today and promotion of a favourable nutritional status. The categories of description involved identification and treatment of malnutrition, education during treatment, education during prevention, and assurance of food security. The participating nurses perceived education to be the most important intervention, incorporated in all areas of prevention and treatment of malnutrition. Identification and treatment of malnutrition, education during treatment, education to prevent malnutrition, and assurance of food security were regarded as the most important areas of intervention.

Gaps in international nutrition and child feeding guidelines: a look at the nutrition and young child feeding education of Ghanaian nurses

“…Descriptive information gathered from the nurses affirmed an adequate knowledge of basic nutrition and YCF practices, and adherence to infant and YCF guidelines put forth by the WHO, particularly for children 0–2 years of age ( 7 , 23 , 32 ) . The responsibility of nurses to serve as the principal source of health education is common, but many nurses and health-care workers are not properly trained in nutrition and YCF practices ( 15 , 19 , 33 , 34 ) . This need for education in infant and YCF practices has been identified in other research regarding the implementation of international nutrition and YCF guidelines ( 18 , 32 , 35 ) .…”

“…Enhancing the nutrition and YCF training of nurses is not only a desire of those who participated in the current study, but also a need expressed by nurses and researchers throughout the literature ( 15 , 18 , 19 , 33 , 34 , 36 ) . Motivation for additional education may be important, as workers who lacked motivation did not improve nutritional status of at-risk populations with nutrition education ( 55 ) .…”

Factors Associated with Food Insecurity in Households of Public School Students of Salvador City, Bahia, Brazil

“…A number of studies have examined the impact of FI on health conditions, especially among children and adolescents. These studies indicate that FI is associated with an impairment of dietary patterns (10), nutritional status (11-14), physical and mental development (8,13), an increase in susceptibility to infectious diseases (15), and the risk of chronic diseases in adulthood (6,16). In addition to child labour, begging, and domestic violence, the FI may result in increasing the rates of failure and dropout in schools (17,18).…”

Health facility users’ knowledge, perceptions, and practices about infant feeding in the context of option B+ in South Africa: a qualitative study

“…Previous studies found that fathers saw the process of feeding infant expressed breastmilk and bottle feeding as opportunities for bonding with their babies [ 27 , 28 ]. The positive effects of involving fathers in supporting partners on infant feeding have been previously reported [ 29 ].…”