Marshallese Mothers’ and Marshallese Maternal Healthcare Providers’ Perspectives on Contraceptive Use and Reproductive Life Planning Practices and Influences

Britni L. Ayers (), Rachel S. Purvis, Jennifer Callaghan-Koru, Sharon Reece, Sheena CarlLee, Nirvana Manning, Krista Langston, Sheldon Riklon and Pearl A. McElfish
Additional contact information
Britni L. Ayers: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA
Rachel S. Purvis: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA
Jennifer Callaghan-Koru: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA
Sharon Reece: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Sheena CarlLee: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 1125 N. College Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA
Nirvana Manning: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St, Little Rock, AR 72205, USA
Krista Langston: Office of Community Health and Research, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St, Springdale, AR 72762, USA
Sheldon Riklon: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA
Pearl A. McElfish: College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, 2708 S. 48th St., Springdale, AR 72762, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Pacific Islander communities experience significant maternal and infant health disparities including high maternal and infant mortality. Contraception and reproductive life planning prevent approximately one-third of pregnancy-related deaths and neonatal deaths. We report the results of formative research devoted to understanding Marshallese mothers’ as well as their maternal healthcare providers’ practices and influences related to contraceptive use and reproductive life planning. This study used an exploratory, descriptive qualitative design to explore Marshallese mothers’ and maternal healthcare providers’ practices and influences of contraception use and reproductive life planning. Twenty participants were enrolled in the study, 15 Marshallese mothers and five Marshallese maternal healthcare providers. For the Marshallese mothers, two themes emerged: (1) Reproductive Life Planning Practices and Information; and (2) Reproductive Life Planning Influences. For the Marshallese maternal healthcare providers, two themes emerged: (1) Reproductive Life Planning Practices; and (2) Reproductive Life Planning Influences. This is the first study to document Marshallese mothers’ and maternal healthcare providers’ practices and influences with contraceptive use and reproductive life planning. Study results will inform the development of a culturally-adapted contraception and reproductive life planning tool with an educational program for Marshallese family units and maternal healthcare providers serving Marshallese women.

Keywords: contraception; reproductive life planning; Marshallese; healthcare providers; maternal and child health; Pacific Islanders (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/3949/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/20/5/3949/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:5:p:3949-:d:1077530

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().