ArticleBMC pediatrics2025
"More than medical care": a qualitative study on family support systems in the neonatal intensive care unit in Ghana.
Article in BMC pediatrics, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe families of the preterm infants face a multitude of challenges during their infants' hospitalization at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in the Ghanaian context. In their vulnerable state, these families require significant support to help them cope. This study aims to explore support systems available to families of preterm infants hospitalized in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at a public referral hospital in the capital city of Ghana, Accra.
methodThe study adopted a qualitative approach to explore the phenemenon. The inclusion criteria considered all parents above the age of 18 years who were medically fit and emotionally stable to participate in the study. The language barrier was mainly an exclusion criterion. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with purposively selected participants, and a semi-structured interview guide guided the interviews. Data collection and recruitment of participants stopped once data saturation was reached.
resultsSixteen participants whose infants were hospitalized at the NICU were interviewed. Three themes were identified: a. Healthcare worker support, b.Social support, and c. Financial support systems. Based on the nature and sources of support identified, ten subthemes were further developed from thematic areas.
conclusionThe study highlights the comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to support systems available to families at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during the hospitalization of preterm babies. While healthcare workers are essential in providing medical and emotional care, contributions from families, peers, and philanthropic groups can help parents cope during difficult times. We recommend that hospitals in Ghana consider developing policies and practice guidelines such as the Child and Family Centred Care (CFCC) that prioritize communication to ensure that families receive regular updates about the infant's condition and medical care plans regardless of the medical background of the communicator.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.