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A qualitative study of conceptions and attitudes regarding maternal mortality among traditional birth attendants in rural Guatemala.

Rööst, Mattias LU ; Johnsdotter Carlbom, Sara LU ; Liljestrand, Jerker LU and Essén, Birgitta LU (2004) In BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology 111(12). p.1372-1377
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To explore conceptions of obstetric emergency care among traditional birth attendants in rural Guatemala, elucidating social and cultural factors. STUDY: design Qualitative in-depth interview study. SETTING: Rural Guatemala. SAMPLE: Thirteen traditional birth attendants from 11 villages around San Miguel Ixtahuacán, Guatemala. METHOD: Interviews with semi-structured, thematic, open-ended questions. Interview topics were: traditional birth attendants' experiences and conceptions as to the causes of complications, attitudes towards hospital care and referral of obstetric complications. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Conceptions of obstetric complications, hospital referrals and maternal mortality among traditional birth attendants.... (More)
OBJECTIVE: To explore conceptions of obstetric emergency care among traditional birth attendants in rural Guatemala, elucidating social and cultural factors. STUDY: design Qualitative in-depth interview study. SETTING: Rural Guatemala. SAMPLE: Thirteen traditional birth attendants from 11 villages around San Miguel Ixtahuacán, Guatemala. METHOD: Interviews with semi-structured, thematic, open-ended questions. Interview topics were: traditional birth attendants' experiences and conceptions as to the causes of complications, attitudes towards hospital care and referral of obstetric complications. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Conceptions of obstetric complications, hospital referrals and maternal mortality among traditional birth attendants. RESULTS: Pregnant women rather than traditional birth attendants appear to make the decision on how to handle a complication, based on moralistically and fatalistically influenced thoughts about the nature of complications, in combination with a fear of caesarean section, maltreatment and discrimination at a hospital level. There is a discrepancy between what traditional birth attendants consider appropriate in cases of complications, and the actions they implement to handle them. CONCLUSION: Parameters in the referral system, such as logistics and socio-economic factors, are sometimes subordinated to cultural values by the target group. To have an impact on maternal mortality, bilateral culture-sensitive education should be included in maternal health programs. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
volume
111
issue
12
pages
1372 - 1377
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000225937300011
  • scopus:10844238981
ISSN
1471-0528
DOI
10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00270.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015. The record was previously connected to the following departments: Obstetrics and Gynaecology (013242700), Social Anthropology (012013002), Division of Social Medicine and Global Health (013241820), Pediatrics/Urology/Gynecology/Endocrinology (013240400)
id
3f2f5029-32c7-4c51-b8e0-def609ce7fc8 (old id 133009)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:46:03
date last changed
2022-05-08 20:30:47
@article{3f2f5029-32c7-4c51-b8e0-def609ce7fc8,
  abstract     = {{OBJECTIVE: To explore conceptions of obstetric emergency care among traditional birth attendants in rural Guatemala, elucidating social and cultural factors. STUDY: design Qualitative in-depth interview study. SETTING: Rural Guatemala. SAMPLE: Thirteen traditional birth attendants from 11 villages around San Miguel Ixtahuacán, Guatemala. METHOD: Interviews with semi-structured, thematic, open-ended questions. Interview topics were: traditional birth attendants' experiences and conceptions as to the causes of complications, attitudes towards hospital care and referral of obstetric complications. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Conceptions of obstetric complications, hospital referrals and maternal mortality among traditional birth attendants. RESULTS: Pregnant women rather than traditional birth attendants appear to make the decision on how to handle a complication, based on moralistically and fatalistically influenced thoughts about the nature of complications, in combination with a fear of caesarean section, maltreatment and discrimination at a hospital level. There is a discrepancy between what traditional birth attendants consider appropriate in cases of complications, and the actions they implement to handle them. CONCLUSION: Parameters in the referral system, such as logistics and socio-economic factors, are sometimes subordinated to cultural values by the target group. To have an impact on maternal mortality, bilateral culture-sensitive education should be included in maternal health programs.}},
  author       = {{Rööst, Mattias and Johnsdotter Carlbom, Sara and Liljestrand, Jerker and Essén, Birgitta}},
  issn         = {{1471-0528}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{12}},
  pages        = {{1372--1377}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology}},
  title        = {{A qualitative study of conceptions and attitudes regarding maternal mortality among traditional birth attendants in rural Guatemala.}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/4774099/624348.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1471-0528.2004.00270.x}},
  volume       = {{111}},
  year         = {{2004}},
}