Department of Health Systems and Policy, School of Global and Public Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Private Bag 360, Blantyre, Malawi.
Centre for Reproductive Health, Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), Private Bag 360, Blantyre, Malawi.
BMC Pediatr. 2023 Aug 29;23(1):432. doi: 10.1186/s12887-023-04253-1.
Malawi has one of the highest incidences of premature birth, with twice the mortality compared to full-term. Excluding fathers from preterm newborn care has negative consequences, including father feeling powerless, missed bonding opportunities with the newborn, additional strain on the mother, and negative family dynamics such as breakdown in communication, reduced trust, and strained relationships. In Malawi, there is no deliberate policy to have fathers involved in preterm care despite having high incidence of preterm birth and neonatal mortality. There is also limited literature on the factors that influence fathers' involvement in the care. The aim of the study was to explore factors influencing fathers' involvement in the care of hospitalized preterm newborns.
A descriptive qualitative study design was used, guided by Theory of planned behaviour and the model proposed by Lamb on male involvement. Sixteen in-depth interviews were conducted with fathers of preterm infants purposively and conveniently sampled in June 2021. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were organized and analyzed using Nvivo software and thematic analysis approach was used because the approach allows deeper understanding of the data, identification of patterns and themes, and provides rich insights into participants' experiences and perspectives.
The barriers and facilitators that influence a father's involvement in the care of preterm newborn babies include: perceived difficulty with care activities and benefits of involvement, gender roles and socio-cultural beliefs, work and other family responsibilities, social support, baby's physical appearance/nature and health status, feedback from the baby, multiple births, and hospital's physical environment and provision of basic needs.
The study found that fathers value their involvement in caring for hospitalized preterm newborns but face barriers. Evidence-based interventions like education programs, training sessions, and support groups can help fathers overcome barriers and promote better outcomes for infants and families.
马拉维是早产儿发生率最高的国家之一，早产儿的死亡率是足月产儿的两倍。将父亲排除在早产儿护理之外会产生负面影响，包括父亲感到无能为力、与新生儿错过建立联系的机会、母亲额外承受压力以及家庭动态出现问题，如沟通破裂、信任减少和关系紧张。在马拉维，尽管早产儿和新生儿死亡率较高，但没有刻意制定让父亲参与早产儿护理的政策。此外，关于影响父亲参与护理的因素的文献也有限。本研究旨在探讨影响父亲参与早产儿护理的因素。
本研究采用描述性定性研究设计，以计划行为理论和 Lamb 提出的男性参与模型为指导。2021 年 6 月，采用方便和目的性抽样方法，对 16 名早产儿父亲进行了深入访谈。访谈采用数字录音并逐字转录。使用 Nvivo 软件对数据进行组织和分析，并采用主题分析方法，因为该方法允许更深入地理解数据、识别模式和主题，并提供对参与者的经验和观点的深入了解。
影响父亲参与早产儿护理的障碍和促进因素包括：认为护理活动困难和参与的好处、性别角色和社会文化信仰、工作和其他家庭责任、社会支持、婴儿的外貌/天性和健康状况、婴儿的反馈、多胞胎以及医院的物理环境和基本需求的提供。
研究发现，父亲重视参与照顾住院的早产儿，但面临障碍。基于证据的干预措施，如教育计划、培训课程和支持小组，可以帮助父亲克服障碍，促进婴儿和家庭的更好结果。
