Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38307537›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2024

Perceptions and attitudes of women in the perinatal period towards male midwives in a rural district of Ghana: a descriptive, exploratory qualitative study.

Dorothy Serwaa Boakye, Vida Maame Kissiwaa Amoah, Christian Amoah, Felix Kofi Kofi Damte, Adjoa Afriyie Poku, Edward Appiah Boateng, Naomi Ataara, Sandra Twum Gyekye, Veronica Dzomeku

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 13% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed, 4 citations in OpenAlex.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Dorothy Serwaa BoakyeHealth Administration and Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana dsboakye@uew.edu.gh.ORCID 0000-0002-6153-1273
Vida Maame Kissiwaa AmoahDepartment of Nursing, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Christian AmoahDepartment of Behavioural Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Felix Kofi Kofi DamteDepartment of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.ORCID 0000-0003-3111-5081
Adjoa Afriyie PokuDepartment of Geography Education, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
Edward Appiah BoatengDepartment of Nursing, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Naomi AtaaraKomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.
Sandra Twum GyekyeKomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana.
Veronica DzomekuDepartment of Midwifery, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology · GHUniversity of Education, Winneba · GHKomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital · GH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThe study sought to explore the perceptions and attitudes of women in the perinatal period towards the reproductive health services of male midwives.

designThe study adopted an in-depth exploratory descriptive design for data collection and themes extracted using thematic analysis.

settingAntenatal and postpartum units of two primary healthcare facilities in the Kwabre-East District of Ghana.

participants20 women in the perinatal period who were receiving antenatal care and delivery services from the facilities included in the study were recruited through purposive sampling.

findingsDivergent views emerged among our participants regarding the acceptability and utilisation of perinatal services provided by male midwives. Some participants perceived male midwives as patient, supportive, caring, compassionate and skilful at their work while the negative attitude related to some participants perceiving their interactions with male midwives as an opportunity for sexual violation. Positive attitudes emanated from male midwives' empathetic behaviour, reception, privacy and confidentiality of information. Conversely, negative attitudes arose from a lack of awareness of the changing female gender domination in midwifery, fear and misconceptions. Finally, participants faced various challenges, rooted in culture, which impacted their acceptance of male midwifery services.

conclusionsFactors influencing participants' negative perceptions and attitudes towards male midwives were born out of culturally motivated and gender-sensitive stereotyping rather than male professional midwifery competencies. The study outcome provides the basis and the need for a community-based intervention to effect changes in the perception and attitude of women in the perinatal period towards male midwifery practice in the affected communities. Increasing awareness of the existence of male midwives in the communities would contribute to increasing acceptance and utilisation of their services among women in the perinatal period in Ghana.

Indexed as

MidwiferyFemaleGhanaHumansMaleParturitionPregnancyPrenatal CareQualitative ResearchMaternal medicinePUBLIC HEALTHQUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Identifiers

PMID38307537
PMCPMC10836374
OpenAlexW4391482497

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.