Sociocultural Practices Affecting the Care of Preterm Infants in the Ghanaian Community.
Esther Abena Adama, Deborah Sundin, Sara Bayes
PMID 33225863WHAT IT FOUND
Ghanaian parents reported inability to stop elder-led care after discharge, including herbal baths, enemas, and formula advice.
Community help was real, but a mother described poor feeding and readmission.
Key findings
01Parents reported inability to stop elderly women who gave preterm infants care that contradicted hospital advice.
02Herbal enemas were reported, and parents said relatives continued using herbal preparations despite their dislike.
03Neighbours provided practical help, but a mother described an herbal enema followed by poor feeding and readmission for seven days.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
This is a qualitative study of experiences, not a test of whether any practice harms or helps infants. The participants were parents and household members in four hospitals in two Ghanaian regions, so the findings may not apply elsewhere. Many accounts are self-reported, and some household members were interviewed informally. The paper does not measure how often adverse outcomes followed these practices, only reports a readmission account. The suggestions about discharge education are the authors' recommendations, not tested interventions.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest and received no financial support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that herbal medicines caused readmission or that including elders in discharge education prevents harm. The study reports experiences and a readmission account, not tested outcomes.