SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online

 
vol.31 issue2 author indexsubject indexarticles search
Home Pagealphabetic serial listing  

Curationis

On-line version ISSN 2223-6279
Print version ISSN 0379-8577

Curationis vol.31 n.2 Pretoria  2008

 

RESEARCH ARTICLE

 

Knowledge, attitudes and practices related to healthy childbearing in the West Coast/Winelands

 

 

LC MaartI; K Rendall-MkosiII; DJ JacksonIII

IBCUR MPH. South African National Parks
IIBSC MPH. School of Public Health, University of Pretoria
IIIBSN MPH DSC. School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape

Correspondence

 

 


ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Many of the known risk factors associated with low birth weight (LBW) infants, such as socio-economic status, ethnicity, genetic makeup, and obstetric history, are not within a woman's immediate control. However, there are many things that a woman can do to improve her chances of having a normal healthy child. Lifestyle behaviours, such as cigarette smoking, nutrition and the use of alcohol, play an important role in determining the growth of the foetus. There is a high rate of low birth weight infants born to women living and working on the farms in the Western Cape. Very little is known about the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the women living and working on the farms that may be influencing their pregnancy outcomes. The aim of this qualitative exploratory study was to establish the knowledge, attitudes and practices of reproductive age women related to lifestyle factors such as alcohol use, smoking and nutrition, and the perceptions of these factors by health care workers, in Stellenbosch and Vredendal areas (small towns in the Western Cape).
METHODS: Four methods of data collection were employed: focus groups and individual interviews with women on farms, and focus groups and semi-structured interviews with health workers. All focus groups and interviews were recorded, transcribed, and then coded to form themes. Findings were then triangulated across data collection methods.
RESULTS: Participants described high levels of use of alcohol and cigarettes by women living on the farms in general, and in pregnancy, despite reasonable levels of awareness of the dangers to the foetus. Regarding nutrition, women have a fairly good sense of eating in a balanced way during pregnancy, but affording this on very low wages is difficult. Many ideas regarding how to increase healthy lifestyles were offered, ranging from environmental improvements, such as access to recreational facilities and handwork classes, to more contact with health services, and improvement in conditions of employment.
CONCLUSION: This study highlights the lifestyle factors related to LBW infants on farms, and proposes that these should be addressed collectively by all the relevant sectors in the community. Although some of these processes have been initiated, there are gaps in the health services, which should be addressed immediately to provide women with opportunities to ensure acceptable pregnancy outcomes.

Keywords: Lifestyle, Low Birth Weight, Alcohol, Smoking, Childbearing


 

 

“Full text available only in PDF format”

 

 

References

CHOMITZ, VR; CHEUNG, LWY; & LIEBERMAN, E 1995: The Role of Lifestyle in Preventing Low Birth Weight, The Future of Children: Low Birth Weight 5:121-138.         [ Links ]

CROXFORD, J; & VILJOEN, D 1999: Alcohol consumption by pregnant women in the Western Cape. South African Medical Journal. 89:962-965.         [ Links ]

DOPSTOP ASSOCIATION 2001: A community diagnosis of Stellenbosch farm-workers, with a focus on alcohol. Stellenbosch: Dopstop Association.         [ Links ]

GLANZ, K 1998: Theory at a Glance: A Guide to Health Promotion Practice .http://www.nci.nih.gov [4/27/98 10:12:38], 32 pages.         [ Links ]

HUGHES, D & SIMPSON L 1995: The Role of Social Change in Preventing Low Birth Weight,. The Future of Children: Low Birth Weight 5:87-102.         [ Links ]

KATZENELLENBOGEN, JM; JOUBERT, G & ABDOOL-KARIM, SS 1997: Epidemiology: Amanual for South Africa. Oxford University Press Southern Africa, Cape Town.         [ Links ]

KREFTENG, L 1991 : Rigor in Qualitative Research: The Assessment of Trustworthiness. American Journal of Occupational Therapy. 45;214-222.         [ Links ]

LIAMPUTTONG P & EZZY, D 2005: Qualitative research methods. 2nd Ed. Oxford University Press, Australia.         [ Links ]

LONDON, L 1999: The 'dop' system, alcohol abuse and social control amongst farm workers in South Africa: a public challenge. Social Science & Medicine 48:1407-1414.         [ Links ]

MAYS, N & POPE, C 2000: Qualitative research in health care: Assessing the quality in qualitative research. BMJ- 320: 50-52.         [ Links ]

MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (MRC) 2000: Saving Babies Perinatal Care Survey of South Africa Pretoria: Heath Systems Trust. (MRC Research Unit for Maternal and Infant Health Care Strategies)        [ Links ]

MILES, J 2001 : Report from the District Health Information System, West Coast/ Winelands District 2001. Cape Town: Provincial Government of the Western Cape. (Personal Communication, July 2002)        [ Links ]

POPE, C; ZIEBLAND S; & MAYS N 2000: Qualitative research in health care: Analysing qualitative data BMi-320:114-116        [ Links ]

POPE, C & MAYS N 1995: Qualitative Research: Reaching the parts other methods can't reach: An introduction to qualitative methods in health and health services research. BMJ. 311:42 - 45        [ Links ]

POJDA, J & KELLY, L, eds. 2000: Low Birthweight: Report on a meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 14-17 June 1999. Nutrition Policy Paper #18. Geneva: ACC/SCN in collaboration with ICDDR, B.         [ Links ]

RENDALL-MKOSI, K 2004: Situation Analysis of Health and Social Services in the West Coast/Winelands Region. In Jackson, D ed. 2004: Healthy Childbearing Study Formative Research Results 2001-2003, Healthy Lives-Healthy Societies Document Series 1:59-68 Bellville: University of the Western Cape.         [ Links ]

SHEERAN, P & ABRAHAM C 1995: Chapter 2: The Health Belief Model, In Conner, P & Norman P (ed.), Predicting Health Behaviour. Buckingham: Open University Press.         [ Links ]

SOUTH AFRICA 1998: Domestic Violence Act 116 of 1998. Pretoria: Government Printers.         [ Links ]

SOUTH AFRICA 2002: Guidelines for Maternity Care in South Africa: A Manual for clinics, community health centres and district hospitals, 2nd ed., Pretoria: Government Printer.         [ Links ]

TONES, K 1995: Making a change for the better. Healthlines 17-19, November.         [ Links ].

TVERSKY, DA 2001: An evaluation of the health promotion activities for women at risk of alcohol intake during pregnancy at antenatal clinics in Stellenbosch. Bellville: University of the Western Cape. (Masters in Public Health).         [ Links ]

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) 1986: Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. WHO/HER/HEP/95.1, Geneva: World Health Organization.         [ Links ]

 

 

Correspondence:
Professor Debra Jackson
School of Public Health
University of the Western Cape
PBX17
Modderdam Road, Belville
South Africa 7535
Tel: (021) 959-2809; Fax:(021)959-2872
Email: diackson@uwc.ac.za