Provider Perceptions on Bereavement Following Newborn Death: A Qualitative Study from Ethiopia and Ghana - 14/03/23
, Ashura Bakari, MD 2, Solomie Deribessa, MD 3, Mahlet Abayneh, MD 3, Aisa Shayo, MD 4, Yema Bockarie, MD 5, Cheryl Moyer, PhD, MPH 6, Stephanie Kukora, MD 7Abstract |
Objective |
The objective of this study was to explore how clinicians in low- and middle-income countries engage and support parents following newborn death.
Study design |
Qualitative interviews of 40 neonatal clinicians with diverse training were conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Kumasi, Ghana. Transcribed interviews were analyzed and coded through the constant comparative method.
Results |
Three discrete themes around bereavement communication emerged. (1) Concern for the degree of grief experienced by mothers and apprehension to further contribute to it. This led to modified communication to shield her from emotional trauma. (2) Acknowledgment of cultural factors impacting neonatal loss. Clinicians reported that loss of a newborn is viewed differently than loss of an older child and is associated with a diminished degree of public grief; however, despite cultural expectations dictating private grief, interview subjects noted that mothers do suffer emotional pain when a newborn dies. (3) Barriers impeding communication and psychosocial support for families, often relating to language differences and resource limitations.
Conclusions |
Neonatal mortality remains the leading global cause of mortality under age 5, with the majority of these deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries, yet scant literature exists on approaches to communication around end-of-life and bereavement care for neonates in these settings. We found that medical providers in Ghana and Ethiopia described structural and cultural challenges that they navigate following the death of a newborn when communicating and supporting bereaved parents.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Keywords : newborn health, stillbirth, global health, Ghana, Ethiopia, Africa, neonatal ethics, palliative care, bereavement
Abbreviations : CPAP, HIC, KATH, NICU, SGH, SPHMMC
Plan
| Ethics Approval: Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional review boards at the University of Michigan (HUM00139420) St. Paul's Hospital Millennium Medical College (REF: P.M. 23/164) and Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (REF: CHRPE/AP/193/18). Each participant was taken through a verbal consent process, which included explicit permission to audio-record the interview. |
|
| Funded by the University of Michigan Global REACH Partnership Development Grant. The authors declare no conflicts of interest. |
Vol 254
P. 33 - mars 2023 Retour au numéro
Article précédent
- Delayed Surgical Closure of the Patent Ductus Arteriosus: Does the Brain Pay the Price?
- Petra Lemmers, Daniel Vijlbrief, Manon Benders, Thomas Alderliesten, Moniek Veldhuis, Wim Baerts, Corine Koopman-Esseboom, Floris Groenendaal, Frank van Bel
- Individual and Family Determinants for Quality of Life in Parents of Children with Inborn Errors of Metabolism Requiring a Restricted Diet: A Multilevel Analysis Approach
- Abdoulaye Ouattara, Noemie Resseguier, Aline Cano, Pascale De Lonlay, Jean-Baptiste Arnoux, Anais Brassier, Manuel Schiff, Samia Pichard, Alexandre Fabre, Celia Hoebeke, Nathalie Guffon, Alain Fouilhoux, Pierre Broué, Guy Touati, Dries Dobbelaere, Karine Mention, Francois Labarthe, Marine Tardieu, Loïc De Parscau, Francois Feillet, Chrystèle Bonnemains, Alice Kuster, Philippe Labrune, Magalie Barth, Lena Damaj, Delphine Lamireau, Julie Berbis, Pascal Auquier, Brigitte Chabrol
Bienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
L’accès au texte intégral de cet article nécessite un abonnement.
Déjà abonné à cette revue ?