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Religio-cultural factors contributing to perinatal mortality and morbidity in mountain villages of Nepal: Implications for future healthcare provision
- Source :
- PLoS ONE, PLoS ONE, Vol 13, Iss 3, p e0194328 (2018)
- Publication Year :
- 2017
-
Abstract
- Objective and the context This paper examines the beliefs and experiences of women and their families in remote mountain villages of Nepal about perinatal sickness and death and considers the implications of these beliefs for future healthcare provision. Methods Two mountain villages were chosen for this qualitative study to provide diversity of context within a highly disadvantaged region. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted with 42 women of childbearing age and their family members, 15 health service providers, and 5 stakeholders. The data were analysed using a thematic analysis technique with a comprehensive coding process. Findings Three key themes emerged from the study: (1) ‘Everyone has gone through it’: perinatal death as a natural occurrence; (2) Dewata (God) as a factor in health and sickness: a cause and means to overcome sickness in mother and baby; and (3) Karma (Past deeds), Bhagya (Fate) or Lekhanta (Destiny): ways of rationalising perinatal deaths. Conclusion Religio-cultural interpretations underlie a fatalistic view among villagers in Nepal’s mountain communities about any possibility of preventing perinatal deaths. This perpetuates a silence around the issue, and results in severe under-reporting of ongoing high perinatal death rates and almost no reporting of stillbirths. The study identified a strong belief in religio-cultural determinants of perinatal death, which demonstrates that medical interventions alone are not sufficient to prevent these deaths and that broader social determinants which are highly significant in local life must be considered in policy making and programming.
- Subjects :
- Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Perinatal Death
Maternal Health
Culture
Psychological intervention
lcsh:Medicine
Social Sciences
Rural Health
Cultural Anthropology
Geographical Locations
0302 clinical medicine
Sociology
Pregnancy
Health care
Medicine and Health Sciences
Public and Occupational Health
030212 general & internal medicine
Human Families
Socioeconomics
lcsh:Science
Policy Making
Qualitative Research
030219 obstetrics & reproductive medicine
Multidisciplinary
Mortality rate
Rural health
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Religion
perinatal mortality
Female
pregnancy
Thematic analysis
Behavioral and Social Aspects of Health
Stillbirths
Research Article
Adult
Asia
Adolescent
Death Rates
Mothers
Context (language use)
03 medical and health sciences
Young Adult
Nepal
Population Metrics
Humans
Social determinants of health
Perinatal Mortality
Population Biology
business.industry
lcsh:R
Infant, Newborn
Biology and Life Sciences
Neonates
Health Status Disparities
Anthropology
People and Places
Women's Health
lcsh:Q
Rural Health Services
Morbidity
business
Qualitative research
Developmental Biology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 19326203
- Volume :
- 13
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- PloS one
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....84705a27310356c1203e66aa0ff761cb