Experiences of women, men and healthcare workers accessing family planning services in Malawi: A grounded theory

South African Family Practice

 
 
Field Value
 
Title Experiences of women, men and healthcare workers accessing family planning services in Malawi: A grounded theory
 
Creator Chilinda, Idesi T. Cooke, Alison Lavender, Dame T.
 
Subject family planning family planning; contraception; unmet needs; Malawi; grounded theory; experiences; women; healthcare workers; men.
Description Background: The importance of modern contraceptive methods in averting unwanted pregnancies has been acknowledged in Malawi. Currently, the country has registered the highest rates of unsafe abortions, unmet needs for contraception and a low contraceptive prevalence rate. Understanding why these rates exist is important. However, women’s views and experiences regarding uptake of family planning methods in Malawi have not been explored.Methods: A grounded theory methodology was used. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with women (n = 18), men (n = 10), healthcare workers (n = 10) and non-participant observations of family planning clinic consultations (n = 10). Data were analysed using constant comparative technique. Methods of open, axial and selective coding enabled subsequent conceptualisations until theoretical saturation occurred.Results: The core category ‘disenabling environment prevents women’s family planning needs from being met’ provides an understanding of women’s, men’s and healthcare workers’ experiences of contraceptive use and non-use. The disenabling environment contributed to shaping women’s family planning experiences. This was supported by three main categories: navigating the processes, disempowerment of women and learning by chance.Conclusion: Findings from this study illuminate contextual issues into how women, men and healthcare workers experience family planning use and non-use in Malawi. A multifaceted strategy is required to support a woman’s family planning needs. At community level, awareness and education of family planning methods is required to actively inform all people in society so that they support a woman’s family planning needs. At national level, laws that would empower women with decision-making ought to be developed and enforced.
 
Publisher AOSIS
 
Contributor University of Malawi Kamuzu College of Nursing
Date 2020-10-07
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Peer-reviewed Article Grounded Theory Approach
Format text/html application/epub+zip text/xml application/pdf
Identifier 10.4102/safp.v62i1.5153
 
Source South African Family Practice; Vol 62, No 1 (2020): Part 3; 8 pages 2078-6204 2078-6190
 
Language eng
 
Relation
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:

https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5153/6364 https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5153/6363 https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5153/6365 https://safpj.co.za/index.php/safpj/article/view/5153/6362
 
Coverage Africa 2017-2018 18-45 years
Rights Copyright (c) 2020 Idesi T. Chilinda, Alison Cooke, Dame T. Lavender https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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