Needs and Barriers of Teen Mothers in Rural Eastern Uganda: Stakeholders’ Perceptions Regarding Maternal/Child Nutrition and Health

Josephine Nabugoomu, Gloria K Seruwagi, Kitty Corbett, Edward Kanyesigye, Susan Horton and Rhona Hanning
Additional contact information
Josephine Nabugoomu: University of Waterloo. Ontario, Canada. 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Gloria K Seruwagi: Makerere University School of Public Health, Kampala. P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
Kitty Corbett: University of Waterloo. Ontario, Canada. 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo ON N2L 3G1, Canada
Edward Kanyesigye: Uganda Christian University, Mukono. Bishop Road, P.O. Box 4, Mukono, Uganda
Rhona Hanning: University of Waterloo. Ontario, Canada. 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo ON N2L 3G1, Canada

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-14

Abstract: For adolescent mothers in rural Eastern Uganda, nutrition and health may be compromised by many factors. Identifying individual and environmental needs and barriers at local levels is important to inform community-based interventions. This qualitative study used interviews based on constructs from social cognitive theory. 101 adolescent mothers, family members, health-related personnel and community workers in Budondo sub-county (Jinja district), eastern Uganda were interviewed. Young mothers had needs, related to going back to school, home-based small businesses; social needs, care support and belonging to their families, employment, shelter, clothing, personal land and animals, medical care and delivery materials. Barriers to meeting their needs included: lack of skills in income generation and food preparation, harsh treatment, pregnancy and childcare costs, lack of academic qualifications, lack of adequate shelter and land, lack of foods to make complementary feeds for infants, insufficient access to medicines, tailored health care and appropriate communications. Using the social cognitive framework, this study identified myriad needs of young mothers and barriers to improving maternal/child nutrition and health. Adolescent-mother-and-child-friendly environments are needed at local levels while continuing to reduce broader socio-cultural and economic barriers to health equity. Findings may help direct future interventions for improved adolescent maternal/child nutrition and health.

Keywords: Pregnancy in adolescence; infant; nutrition; health; needs; barriers; social cognitive theory; structural violence; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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