Cornelius Debpuur1, Engelbert A Nonterah1,2, Samuel T Chatio1, James K Adoctor1, Edith Dambayi1, Paula Beeri1, Esmond W Nonterah1, Doreen Ayi-Bisah1, Daniella Watson3, Sarah H Kehoe4, Maxwell A Dalaba1, Winfred Ofosu5, Raymond Aborigo1, Paul Welaga1, Abraham R Oduro1, Marie-Louise Newell3,6, Mary Barker4,7. 1. Clinical Science Department, Navrongo Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service, Hospital Road, 00233 Navrongo, Ghana. 2. Julius Global Health, Julius Centre for Health Science and Primary Care, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands. 3. Department of Human Development and Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. 4. Medical Research Council Lifecourse Epidemiology Unit, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK. 5. Upper East Regional Health Directorate, Ghana Health Service,Bolgatanga, Ghana. 6. Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Public Health, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. 7. National Institute of Health Research, Southampton Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospital Southampton National Health Service Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Despite efforts to improve maternal and child nutrition, undernutrition remains a major public health challenge in Ghana. The current study explored community perceptions of undernutrition and context-specific interventions that could improve maternal and child nutrition in rural Northern Ghana. DESIGN: This exploratory qualitative study used ten focus group discussions to gather primary data. The discussions were recorded, transcribed and coded into themes using Nvivo 12 software to aid thematic analysis. SETTING: The study was conducted in rural Kassena-Nankana Districts of Northern Ghana. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-three men and fifty-one women aged 18-50 years were randomly selected from the community. RESULTS: Most participants reported poverty, lack of irrigated agricultural land and poor harvests as the main barriers to optimal nutrition. To improve maternal and child nutrition, study participants suggested that the construction of dams at the community level would facilitate all year round farming including rearing of animals. Participants perceived that the provision of agricultural materials such as high yield seedlings, pesticides and fertiliser would help boost agricultural productivity. They also recommended community-based nutrition education by trained health volunteers, focused on types of locally produced foods and appropriate ways to prepare them to help improve maternal and child nutrition. CONCLUSION: Drawing on these findings and existing literature, we argue that supporting community initiated nutrition interventions such as improved irrigation for dry season farming, provision of agricultural inputs and community education could improve maternal and child nutrition.
OBJECTIVE: Despite efforts to improve maternal and child nutrition, undernutrition remains a major public health challenge in Ghana. The current study explored community perceptions of undernutrition and context-specific interventions that could improve maternal and child nutrition in rural Northern Ghana. DESIGN: This exploratory qualitative study used ten focus group discussions to gather primary data. The discussions were recorded, transcribed and coded into themes using Nvivo 12 software to aid thematic analysis. SETTING: The study was conducted in rural Kassena-Nankana Districts of Northern Ghana. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-three men and fifty-one women aged 18-50 years were randomly selected from the community. RESULTS: Most participants reported poverty, lack of irrigated agricultural land and poor harvests as the main barriers to optimal nutrition. To improve maternal and child nutrition, study participants suggested that the construction of dams at the community level would facilitate all year round farming including rearing of animals. Participants perceived that the provision of agricultural materials such as high yield seedlings, pesticides and fertiliser would help boost agricultural productivity. They also recommended community-based nutrition education by trained health volunteers, focused on types of locally produced foods and appropriate ways to prepare them to help improve maternal and child nutrition. CONCLUSION: Drawing on these findings and existing literature, we argue that supporting community initiated nutrition interventions such as improved irrigation for dry season farming, provision of agricultural inputs and community education could improve maternal and child nutrition.
Entities:
Keywords:
Community interventions; Community perceptions; Ghana; Maternal and child nutrition
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