Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41891430›Full record

ArticleJournal of health psychology2026

Exploring clinical empathy among maternal healthcare providers in Zambia: Does the heart meet the mind? Insights from a qualitative study.

Lena Halawi, Francis Sichimba, Kalunga Cindy Nakazwe, Atika Khalaf

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of health psychology, 2026. 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
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

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

4 authors.

Lena HalawiKristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.ORCID 0009-0007-7158-6140
Francis SichimbaUniversity of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.ORCID 0000-0002-8251-7921
Kalunga Cindy NakazweUniversity of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.ORCID 0000-0002-7334-0984
Atika KhalafKristianstad University, Kristianstad, Sweden.ORCID 0000-0002-9958-0222

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Empathy is crucial for enhancing interpersonal interactions in healthcare. While provider empathy improves health outcomes, studies focused on this concept in Zambia are limited. This qualitative study utilized a hermeneutic phenomenological approach, employing qualitative content analysis as the analysis method, to explore clinical empathy through the perspectives of 14 maternal healthcare providers recruited via purposive and snowball sampling. Participants varied in age, experience, and professional roles. The study identified three primary themes: (1) the multifaceted nature of empathy in maternal healthcare, (2) dual aspects of empathy-patient care and professional boundaries, and (3) contextual dynamics-balancing challenges in maternal empathy. Findings highlight that while empathy enhances patient experiences, providers often struggle to maintain emotional boundaries. The study highlights the need for targeted training programs in strengthening empathy in clinical practice and recommends further research on culturally specific expressions of empathy in healthcare settings.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelEmpathyHealth PersonnelMaternal Health ServicesProfessional-Patient RelationsAdultFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedQualitative ResearchZambiaclinical empathyclinical objectivitydetached concernemotional engagementmaternal healthcare

Identifiers

PMID41891430
PMCPMC13031371

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Registered trials

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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.