Childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana: a qualitative study using the ecological systems theory.

BACKGROUND: While appropriate care for children is essential for optimal growth and protection against child morbidity and mortality, teenage mothers have been shown to deviate from the recommended childcare practices. This study explored the childcare practices among teenage mothers in Ghana using Ecological Systems Theory by Bronfenbrenner as a theoretical framework. METHODS: Employing qualitative approach to inquiry, evidence was drawn from 30 teenage mothers using in-depth interviews. The data were analysed and presented following systematic qualitative-oriented text analysis strategy with verbatim quotes from study participants to support the emergent themes. RESULTS: It was evident that teenage mothers have limited skills in childcare practices and often resorted to practices with potentially adverse health outcomes for their children. They, for instance, applied hot towels they had heated with hot stones to the children's umbilical stump. We found that teenage mothers were not in sync with their macro- and exo-systems, thereby depriving themselves and their babies of the much-needed guidance and support in caring for their babies. Teenage mothers were often confused and sometimes clueless about best childcare practices at a given point in time. CONCLUSIONS: Childcare practices by teenage mothers are far from the ideal. To improve on child health (especially children born to teenage mothers), efforts at both the macro- and exo-systems should be directed at exposing teenage mothers to best child care practices that inure to the benefits of their children. Ante- and postnatal visits should be used to provide specific education for mothers, especially first-time teenage mothers on the care needs of babies and how to provide these needs.

University Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa: Exploring Best Practices.

AIMS: Addressing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in educational settings across the globe, particularly in institutions of higher education, requires strong institutional framework and policy guidelines. Most research about university SGBV policies has focused on high-income countries with little or no recourse to universities in low- and middle-income countries. This policy analysis aims to analyze existing policies related to SGBV from select sub-Saharan African universities to provide guidance on best practices toward addressing SGBV at universities in Africa. METHODS: Seven university policies and six national policies from six countries across sub-Saharan Africa (Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe) were reviewed using a standardized data extraction form. The policy analysis identified eight key elements of policies related to SGBV for sub-Saharan African universities, which were verified using a nominal group technique with five international experts in the field. RESULTS: Overall, policies varied significantly in accessibility, terminology, definitions, format, and inclusivity across the sites. Some of the policies were not readily accessible, and there was limited evidence provided in some of the policy documents. CONCLUSIONS: Policies for universities in sub-Saharan Africa should (a) be evidence based, (b) be readily available in multiple formats, (c) define key terms broadly with gendered signifiers, (d) be succinct and concise, (e) incorporate broad definitions for all university stakeholders, (f) identify who created the policy and when, (g) address prevention, and (h) address response. Evidence-based policies addressing SGBV prevention, response, and justice are sorely needed at universities across the globe.