Exploring Support for Mothers with Hospitalized Newborns with Jaundice: A Qualitative Study at the Greater Accra Regional Hospital

Abstract

Neonatal Jaundice cases are on the ascendency. Neonatal Jaundice is the yellowish discolouration of the sclera and mucous membranes within the first week of life when serum bilirubin levels exceed normal ranges. Neonatal jaundice is one of the major causes of neonatal readmission after delivery. Neonatal admissions, irrespective of severity, can cause significant distress to mothers and the family as a whole. The study explored the support that exists in Ghana for mothers who have their babies hospitalized within the first few days of life owing to neonatal jaundice. This was an exploratory descriptive study in the Greater Accra Regional Hospital. Sixteen mothers were sampled using the purposive sampling technique. A semi-structured interview guide was used to obtain data on the support mothers received during this vulnerable time of their lives. Interviews were carried out until data saturation was achieved. The study was guided by the Socioecological model of health. Thematic content analysis served as the methodological approach for data analysis, facilitating the organization of the data into coherent themes and subthemes. Four main themes were generated with thirteen subthemes. The findings of the study highlighted maternal support at the individual, interpersonal, community, institutional levels during neonatal admissions. Support utilised under intrapersonal level: mother’s age, gender, income, educational level, parity and previous neonatal admission; Interpersonal level: spousal, grandmothers, siblings and friend support; Institutional level: Hospital infrastructure and logistics and medical staff support; Community level: culture, social groups, neighbours and neighbourhood support. The study emphasizes the need for enhanced family-centred care, policy-making targeted at maternal support systems and future research. The study identified the gaps in support resources and advocated for improvement in support resources for mothers.