Nyarko MJ, Ten Ham-Baloyi W, van Rooyen DRM. Qualitative Exploration of Health Professionals' Perceptions of Addressing Malnutrition Within the First 1,000 Days.
JOURNAL OF NUTRITION EDUCATION AND BEHAVIOR 2024:S1499-4046(24)00055-1. [PMID:
38639691 DOI:
10.1016/j.jneb.2024.03.010]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Explore health professionals' perceptions toward how to address malnutrition within the first 1,000 days of life in underresourced communities.
DESIGN
A qualitative explorative-descriptive study using 8 face-to-face focus group discussions.
SETTING
Health facilities serving underresourced communities within Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.
PARTICIPANTS
Fifty-six health professionals (n = 13 doctors, n = 28 nurses, n = 6 dietitians, and n = 9 social workers) aged between 20 and 60 years, with 1-16 years (5 years average) of working experience. The majority (n = 53; 94.6%) were women.
PHENOMENON OF INTEREST
Health professionals' perceptions of effective methods or strategies to address malnutrition are referred to as undernutrition.
ANALYSIS
Content analysis.
RESULTS
Health professionals perceived socioeconomic conditions; caregiver lack of nutrition knowledge; and behavioral, cultural, and generational infant feeding practices as contributing factors to malnutrition. Participants recommended efforts to strengthen the availability, accessibility, and utilization of contraception, especially for teenagers, increase support to caretakers of children from families, health facilities, and communities, and a multisector and multidisciplinary approach to improve social determinants of health in underresourced communities.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
To address malnutrition within the first 1,000 days of life, data supports that health professionals in underresourced communities require a multisector, multidisciplinary approach. This approach entails educational interventions, peer mentoring and community empowerment through support to and involvement of caregivers of children.
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