Food choices made by primary carers (mothers/ grandmothers) in West Java, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: Indonesian children currently face a decreasing prevalence of underweight and an increasing prevalence of overweight. For children aged 0-12 years, mothers/grandmothers hold the primary role in feeding practices. This study specifically aimed to explore mothers'/grandmothers' decision-making around food choices in West Java, Indonesia. METHODS: Twelve focus groups discussions were conducted between June and October 2016. Ninety-four carers of children aged under-five and 7-12 years from three socioeconomic groups participated. Data analysis followed a grounded theory approach. RESULTS: We developed six main themes: 1) Decisions on food served at home, which were mainly influenced by socioeconomic status and family member requests. 2) Attitudes toward instant noodles consumption. The low and intermediate SES children consumed noodles on a daily basis, even up to five times daily, while the high SES children only consumed noodles as 'emergency' food. 3) Decisions on food/snacks and drinks consumptions. Low and intermediate SES children bought snacks/sugary drinks from street vendors while the high SES children bought them at supermarket. 4) Feelings about food/snacks and drinks choices. All carers shared similar concerns and uneasiness about their children's choices. 5) Consideration of money issues, which were prominent among the low and intermediate SES carers. 6) Consideration of Halal issues, which were only mentioned by high SES carers. Most similarities were found between the low and intermediate SES groups, while most differences arose between these two groups compared to the high SES. CONCLUSIONS: The six interrelated categories affected one another around participants' decision-making around the family's food consumption. Developing countries could improve their multi-sectoral collaboration in ensuring better availability and affordability of healthier food. Education targeted at behavior modification toward healthier lifestyles should be implemented countrywide.

Perceptions of overweight by primary carers (mothers/grandmothers) of under five and elementary school-aged children in Bandung, Indonesia: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of childhood overweight has increased in the past two decades in Indonesia. Even though prevalence is escalating, there is a lack of qualitative evidence to assist in the design and implementation of strategies to tackle this issue. This study aimed to explore the view of primary carers (mothers and grandmothers) from different socio-economic-status groups, on childhood overweight in the Greater Bandung Area, Indonesia. METHODS: We conducted 12 focus groups discussions with a total of 94 carers of under-five and 7-12 years children, from June to October 2016. We used the grounded theory approach in our analysis. RESULTS: Three main categories emerged: the concept of overweight, factors contributing to overweight, and awareness and feelings towards overweight children. Most carers from all SES groups defined overweight subjectively, while a few from the low SES group defined it objectively. Most carers from low and high SES groups agreed with the concept "chubbier is healthier". All carers had some knowledge of the main factors that contribute to childhood overweight: dietary factors, activity levels and sedentary behavior, and hereditary factors. Carers from all SES groups described similar characteristics of overweight; carers from low and intermediate SES groups had mixed feelings while all high SES carers have negative feelings about overweight children, mostly related to stigma. However, carers who identified their own children as being overweight expressed sensitivity about this weight status, especially their physical abilities. Almost all carers knew their children's current weight while less than two thirds knew their children's height. CONCLUSIONS: There are several policy implications. Firstly, health-related knowledge of the primary carers is of great importance and needs augmenting. To increase that knowledge, there is a role for front-line health practitioners (doctors/midwives/nurses) to be more active in educating the community. Secondly, simpler and more effective ways to disseminate healthy lifestyle messages to carers is required. Thirdly, by placing more emphasis on carers monitoring their children's growth may encourage carers to take steps to keep their children in the healthy weight and height ranges. Fourthly, the Department of Education may need to improve the quality and quantity of physical activity in schools.

Learning how we learn: an ethnographic study in a neonatal intensive care unit.

AIM: This paper is a report of a study to identify how nurse clinicians learn with and from each other in the workplace. BACKGROUND: Clinicians' everyday practices and interactions with each other have recently been targeted as areas of research, because it is there that quality of care and patient safety are achieved. Orientation of new nurses and doctors into a specialty unit often results in stress. METHOD: An ethnographic approach was used, including a 12-month period of fieldwork observations involving participation and in-depth interviews with nurse, doctor and allied health clinicians in their workplace. The data were collected in 2005-2006 in a paediatric teaching hospital in Australia. FINDINGS: The findings were grouped into four dimensions: orientation of nurses, orientation of medical registrars, preceptoring and decision-making. The orientation of new staff (nursing and medical) is a complex and multi-layered process which accommodates multiple kinds of learning, in addition to formal learning. Workplace learning also can be informal, incidental, interpersonal and interactive. Interactive and interpersonal learning and the transfer of knowledge include codified and tacit knowledge as well as intuitive understandings of 'how we do things here'. CONCLUSION: Research into how nurses learn is crucial for illuminating learning that is non-formal and less recognized than more formal kinds. To provide a safe practice environment built on a foundation of knowledge and best practice, there needs to be an allocation of time in the busy workday for learning and reflection.