Daniella Watson1, Sarah H Kehoe2, Agnes Erzse3, Adélaïde Compaoré4, Cornelius Debpuur5, Engelbert A Nonterah5, Hermann Sorgho4, Shane A Norris1,6, Karen J Hofman3, Wendy Lawrence2,7, Marie-Louise Newell1,8, Keith M Godfrey2,7, Kate A Ward2,8, Mary Barker2,7,8. 1. Global Health Research Institute, School of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, SouthamptonSO16 5YA, UK. 2. MRC Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. 3. SAMRC Centre for Health Economics and Decision Science, PRICELESS, University of Witwatersrand School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Johannesburg, South Africa. 4. Clinical Research Unit of Nanoro, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé, Nanoro, Burkina Faso. 5. Navrongo Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service, Navrongo, Ghana. 6. SAMRC Developmental Pathways for Health Research Unit, School of Clinical Medicine, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. 7. NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK. 8. School of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore community perceptions on maternal and child nutrition issues in Sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN: Thirty focus groups with men and women from three communities facilitated by local researchers. SETTING: One urban (Soweto, South Africa) and two rural settings (Navrongo, Ghana and Nanoro, Burkina Faso) at different stages of economic transition. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred thirty-seven men and women aged 18-55 years, mostly subsistence farmers in Navrongo and Nanoro and low income in Soweto. RESULTS: Differences in community concerns about maternal and child health and nutrition reflected the transitional stage of the country. Community priorities revolved around poor nutrition and hunger caused by poverty, lack of economic opportunity and traditional gender roles. Men and women felt they had limited control over food and other resources. Women wanted men to take more responsibility for domestic chores, including food provision, while men wanted more involvement in their families but felt unable to provide for them. Solutions suggested focusing on ways of increasing control over economic production, family life and domestic food supplies. Rural communities sought agricultural support, while the urban community wanted regulation of the food environment. CONCLUSIONS: To be acceptable and effective, interventions to improve maternal and child nutrition need to take account of communities' perceptions of their needs and address wider determinants of nutritional status and differences in access to food reflecting the stage of the country's economic transition. Findings suggest that education and knowledge are necessary but not sufficient to support improvements in women's and children's nutritional status.
OBJECTIVE: To explore community perceptions on maternal and child nutrition issues in Sub-Saharan Africa. DESIGN: Thirty focus groups with men and women from three communities facilitated by local researchers. SETTING: One urban (Soweto, South Africa) and two rural settings (Navrongo, Ghana and Nanoro, Burkina Faso) at different stages of economic transition. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred thirty-seven men and women aged 18-55 years, mostly subsistence farmers in Navrongo and Nanoro and low income in Soweto. RESULTS: Differences in community concerns about maternal and child health and nutrition reflected the transitional stage of the country. Community priorities revolved around poor nutrition and hunger caused by poverty, lack of economic opportunity and traditional gender roles. Men and women felt they had limited control over food and other resources. Women wanted men to take more responsibility for domestic chores, including food provision, while men wanted more involvement in their families but felt unable to provide for them. Solutions suggested focusing on ways of increasing control over economic production, family life and domestic food supplies. Rural communities sought agricultural support, while the urban community wanted regulation of the food environment. CONCLUSIONS: To be acceptable and effective, interventions to improve maternal and child nutrition need to take account of communities' perceptions of their needs and address wider determinants of nutritional status and differences in access to food reflecting the stage of the country's economic transition. Findings suggest that education and knowledge are necessary but not sufficient to support improvements in women's and children's nutritional status.
Entities:
Keywords:
Community engagement; Maternal child health; Nutrition; Qualitative research; Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Engelbert A Nonterah; Paul Welaga; Samuel T Chatio; Sarah H Kehoe; Winfred Ofosu; Kate A Ward; Keith M Godfrey; Abraham R Oduro; Marie-Louise Newell Journal: Matern Child Nutr Date: 2022-01-10 Impact factor: 3.092
Authors: Maxwell A Dalaba; Engelbert A Nonterah; Samuel T Chatio; James K Adoctor; Daniella Watson; Mary Barker; Kate A Ward; Cornelius Debpuur Journal: BMC Nutr Date: 2021-07-15