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1 – 10 of over 2000Patience Esohe Konwea, Funmilayo Alice David and Seyi Elizabeth Ogunsile
Vaccine preventable diseases are major threats to the health and well-being of children under five years of age. They contribute a great deal to childhood illnesses and…
Abstract
Purpose
Vaccine preventable diseases are major threats to the health and well-being of children under five years of age. They contribute a great deal to childhood illnesses and disabilities, and are accountable for a high percentage of childhood mortality worldwide. In Nigeria, the government has made a lot of effort to provide immunizations against these childhood diseases. It is however sad to note that many children still do not complete their routine immunization. The purpose of this paper is to determine factors which influence mothers’ compliance with childhood immunization.
Design/methodology/approach
This was a descriptive study carried out among 600 mothers of under-five children randomly selected from nine postnatal clinics in Ekiti State between January and August 2016. A self-structured validated questionnaire containing items to explore demographic characteristics of respondents, compliance with child immunization (Cronbach’s α=0.92) and determinants of compliance (Cronbach’s α=0.83) was the instrument for data collection. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify determinants of mothers’ compliance with childhood immunization.
Findings
The level of compliance of mothers with childhood immunization was high (80 percent). The two factors which contributed significantly to mothers’ compliance were the mothers’ knowledge of childhood immunization (β weight= 0.243) and mothers’ educational status (β weight=0.169). Mothers with tertiary education had the highest level of compliance (76.8 percent).
Originality/value
Having good knowledge of childhood immunization and a high educational status positively influence a mothers’ compliance with child immunization.
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Milla Salin, Mia Hakovirta, Anniina Kaittila and Johanna Raivio
This article analyzes the challenges Finnish single mothers experienced in their everyday lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. In studies on challenges to family life during…
Abstract
Purpose
This article analyzes the challenges Finnish single mothers experienced in their everyday lives during the COVID-19 pandemic. In studies on challenges to family life during COVID-19 lockdowns, single-parent families remain a largely understudied group.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors apply triple bind theory and ask how did Finnish single mothers manage the interplay between inadequate resources, inadequate employment, and inadequate policies during lockdown in spring 2020? These data come from an online survey including both qualitative and quantitative questions which was conducted between April and May 2020 to gather Finnish families' experiences during lockdown. This analysis is based on the qualitative part of the survey.
Findings
This study's results show that lockdown created new inadequacies while also enhancing some old inadequacies in the lives of Finnish single mothers. During lockdown, single mothers faced policy- and resource-disappearances; accordingly, they lost their ability to do paid work normally. Furthermore, these disappearances endangered the well-being of some single mothers and their families.
Originality/value
This article contributes to the wider understanding of everyday lives of single mothers and the challenges COVID-19 pandemic created. Moreover, this study provides knowledge on the applicability of the triple bind theory when studying the everyday lives of single mothers.
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This paper examines the financial challenges of single mothers in Brunei, illustrating how single parenting affects their lifestyle choices and the coping mechanisms these mothers…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper examines the financial challenges of single mothers in Brunei, illustrating how single parenting affects their lifestyle choices and the coping mechanisms these mothers employ to grapple with their financial hardships.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a qualitative approach, utilizing semi-structured interviews with five single mothers living in the Brunei-Muara district. The collected data were analyzed using thematic analysis.
Findings
Results revealed participants described operating with a single income, covering bills alone, the high cost of living in Brunei and the absence of alimony contributed to their financial challenges. Financial stress caused them to change their spending habits, switch to cheaper alternatives, make sacrifices and struggle to meet the needs of their children. Coping mechanisms adopted by single mothers utilized social support, generating side income, and the unique roles of children played a significant role in cushioning the impact of their financial difficulties.
Originality/value
Single mothers are on the rise in Brunei. There is an acute lack of studies emphasizing the financial hardships experienced by single mothers in Brunei. This study attempts to narrow the missing gap and seek avenues of justice for single mothers in a progressive, equitable society.
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Minna Kallioharju, Terhi-Anna Wilska and Annamari Vänskä
The purpose of this paper is to examine mothers’ social media accounts that focus on children’s fashion. The authors probed children’s fashion photo practices as representations…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine mothers’ social media accounts that focus on children’s fashion. The authors probed children’s fashion photo practices as representations of the mothers’ extended self and the kind of childhood representations produced by the social media accounts. They also investigated mothers’ perceptions of children’s privacy when engaging in sharenting – the sharing of information about children or parenting online.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on 16 semi-structured interviews with Finnish mothers who had Instagram accounts focusing on children’s fashion.
Findings
Children’s fashion photos play a diverse role in mothers’ identity work. The photos can be used to express a mother’s taste and aesthetic skills, to express values, to fit into peer groups and to store memories of oneself and the children. Through the photos, representations of the prevailing Finnish childhood ideals, such as authenticity, naturalness and playfulness, are reproduced. The mothers perceived the children as part of their extended self and justified sharenting with mother- and child-centered arguments.
Originality/value
Through shedding light on the practices of social media fashion photography, this paper provides insights into how commercialism and social media shape cultural expectations for both motherhood and childhood. The paper contributes to previous research on sharenting, extending it to the context of fashion photography.
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Ann-Zofie Duvander and Ida Viklund
Parental leave in Sweden can be taken both as paid and unpaid leave and often parents mix these forms in a very flexible way. Therefore, multiple methodological issues arise…
Abstract
Purpose
Parental leave in Sweden can be taken both as paid and unpaid leave and often parents mix these forms in a very flexible way. Therefore, multiple methodological issues arise regarding how to most accurately measure leave length. The purpose of this paper is to review the somewhat complex legislation and the possible ways of using parental leave before presenting a successful attempt of a more precise way of measuring leave lengths, including paid and unpaid days, for mothers and fathers.
Design/methodology/approach
The study makes use of administrative data for a complete cohort of parents of first born children in 2009 in Sweden. The authors examine what characteristics are associated with the use of paid and unpaid leave for mothers and fathers during the first two years of the child’s life, focusing particularly on how individual and household income is associated with leave patterns.
Findings
Among mothers, low income is associated with many paid leave days whereas middle income is associated with most unpaid days. High income mothers use a shorter leave. Among fathers it is the both ends with high and low household income that uses most paid and unpaid leave.
Practical implications
A measure that includes unpaid parental leave will be important to not underestimate the parental leave and to prevent faulty comparisons between groups by gender and by socioeconomic status.
Originality/value
A measure of parental leave including both paid and unpaid leave will also facilitate international comparisons of leave length.
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Malatree Khouenkoup, Arunrat Srichantaranit and Wanida Sanasuttipun
This study aimed to determine mothers' knowledge of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and to examine the relationship between types of CHD, the duration of treatments…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed to determine mothers' knowledge of children with congenital heart disease (CHD) and to examine the relationship between types of CHD, the duration of treatments, the perception of the severity of illness and the mothers' knowledge.
Design/methodology/approach
A correlation study was conducted among 84 mothers of children (from infancy to six years old) with CHD who had attended pediatric cardiology clinics and pediatric units in three tertiary hospitals in Bangkok, Thailand. The two questionnaires aimed to evaluate the mothers' knowledge and perceptions of the severity of illness. Descriptive statistics, Spearman's rank-order correlation and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the data.
Findings
Knowledge levels of mothers of children with CHD were at a high level with a mean score of 34.79 (SD = 8.23), but the knowledge domain of preventing complications was at a low level with a mean score of 14.95 (SD = 5.28). The types of CHD and the perceptions of illness were not correlated with the mothers' knowledge, but the duration of treatments was significantly correlated (r = 0.271, p < 0.05).
Originality/value
Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, should emphasize proper health education on complication prevention and the duration of treatments for children. Moreover, mothers should be supported to nurture children with CHD to reduce possible complications and prepare for cardiac surgery where needed.
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Sharmin Majumder, Zannatul Najnin, Shamim Ahmed and Shafi Ullah Bhuiyan
Neonatal mortality rate is 24 deaths per 1,000 live births in Bangladesh and most of them die during early neonatal period. The purpose of this paper is to assess the knowledge…
Abstract
Purpose
Neonatal mortality rate is 24 deaths per 1,000 live births in Bangladesh and most of them die during early neonatal period. The purpose of this paper is to assess the knowledge and attitude of neonatal care practices among postnatal mothers in a tertiary care hospital in order to provide a basis for the development of strategies to improve further.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh using a convenient sampling technique. In total 211 postnatal mothers were interviewed using a structured questionnaire and χ2 test was used to analyze the data.
Findings
Among mothers, 37.9 percent were aged between 16–20 years; 16.1 percent had no institutional education; 55 percent were primipara and only 26.5 percent had attended antenatal visit for more than four times. Mothers had apparently good knowledge and attitude about thermoregulation, early initiation of breast-feeding, importance of providing colostrum to the newborn, exclusive breast-feeding (EBF) up to six months of age and immunization at birth. However, this study identified knowledge gap about cord care, eye care, first bathing and hygiene practices. Overall, only a small proportion of respondents had good level of knowledge (37 percent) and attitude (47.4 percent) on newborn care. Highly significant statistical association was found between the knowledge, attitude level and socio-demographic characteristics of respondents. Knowledge and attitude were strongly associated as well.
Research limitations/implications
There is scope for improvement by providing health education to antenatal and postnatal mothers. Therefore, implementation of the guidelines outlined in the Maternal and Child Handbook (MCH) is highly recommended.
Originality/value
There is scope for improvement by providing health education to antenatal and postnatal mothers. Therefore, implementation of the guidelines outlined in the MCH is highly recommended to enhance the knowledge and attitude on newborn care among postnatal mothers.
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Yvonne Ziegler, Regine Graml, Kristine Khachatryan and Vincenzo Uli
The second Frankfurt Career Study was conducted in 2017 in East and West Germany to analyze the impact of motherhood on female professional advancement in the specific national…
Abstract
Purpose
The second Frankfurt Career Study was conducted in 2017 in East and West Germany to analyze the impact of motherhood on female professional advancement in the specific national context of Germany. In addition, this study aims to present a unique perspective of the similarities and dissimilarities between the Western and Eastern parts of the country.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is presented as a three-stage statistical approach based on quantitative data generated from a survey conducted among 2,130 working mothers. In the first step, the authors performed a multiple correspondence analysis to explore the relationships between important categorical variables. Using the object scores obtained in the first step, we then ran a hierarchical cluster analysis, followed by the third and last step: using the k-means clustering method to partition the survey respondents into groups.
Findings
The authors found that working mothers in Germany are distributed according to four clusters mainly described by demographics and orientation toward work. East Germany has been found as a more egalitarian context than West Germany with respect to family system arrangements. However, the upper bound of the sample in West Germany presented an atypical female breadwinner model in high-performance households.
Originality/value
The authors want to contribute to previous investigations on the topic by providing a more comprehensive view of the phenomenon, especially comparing the two different family systems and social norms from the Eastern and Western parts of the country. The authors ask whether and how career perspectives and female labor supply are influenced by drivers such as work–family conflict determinants, working mothers demographics, partner support and employer support.
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Laure Le Treut, François Poinso, Pauline Grandgeorge, Elisabeth Jouve, Michel Dugnat, Joshua Sparrow and Jokthan Guivarch
Studies of the first year of infant psychomotor development in cases of maternal postpartum depression are lacking. The mother and baby unit (MBU) is a healthcare system available…
Abstract
Studies of the first year of infant psychomotor development in cases of maternal postpartum depression are lacking. The mother and baby unit (MBU) is a healthcare system available to infants and their mothers during the postpartum period in a psychiatric hospital, which provides support and preserves the parent's role in the child's daily care. The aim of the paper is to describe the developmental profile of babies of mothers with severe postpartum depression treated in an MBU through the developmental quotients. Using the Brunet-Lézine scale, we studied six-month-old infants whose mothers were hospitalized. The study population consisted of 15 infants. The mean global developmental quotient score was 96.7. A developmental quotient lower than 80 was not observed for any of the children. We found no global psychomotor developmental delays. Despite this, the posture subscore was the area in which we observed the most difficulties. It is possible that the tonic dialogue between the mother and infant is disrupted by maternal depression.
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Randal G. Ross, Sharon K. Hunter, Gary O. Zerbe and Kate Hanna
It is unclear whether information obtained from a one parent can be used to infer the other parent's history of psychopathology. Two hundred and one parental dyads were asked to…
Abstract
It is unclear whether information obtained from a one parent can be used to infer the other parent's history of psychopathology. Two hundred and one parental dyads were asked to complete psychiatric interviews. Based on maternal report, non-participating husbands/ fathers had higher rates than participating fathers of psychiatric illness. For fathers who did participate, maternal report did not match direct interview of paternal psychopathology with sensitivities less than 0.40 and positive predictive values of 0.33 to 0.74. Psychopa -thology may be over-represented among fathers who do not participate in research. Mother report of paternal symptoms is not an effective proxy. Alternative methods need to be developed to: i) improve father participation or ii) identify psychiatric status in fathers who do not participate in research projects.
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