Cultural factors associated with the management of breast lumps amongst Xhosa women: research

摘要

A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research approach was followed to study the problems experienced by teenage mothers in the southern Hho-Hho region of Swaziland. The findings of transcribed in-depth individual interviews indicated that the major problem encountered by the participants was the lack of knowledge, advice and emotional support before, during and after their pregnancies. Parents, partners, peer groups, health personnel, teachers, church leaders and communities failed to empower the teenage mothers with knowledge and skills to prevent pregnancy or to facilitate motherhood. This lack of support impacted on the social, cultural, economic, spiritual and emotional dimensions of the teenage mothers. These effects caused problems for the teenage mothers, their families and their communities which could be addressed by multi-disciplinary approaches and intersectoral collaboration. 'n Kwalitatiewe, eksploratiewe, beskrywende en kontekstuele navorsingsbenadering is gevolg tydens die studie van probleme wat deur tienermoeders in die suidelike Hho-Hho gebied van Swaziland ondervind is. Die bevindinge van getranskribeerde in-diepte persoonlike onderhoude het aangetoon dat die grootste probleem wat die deelnemers ondervind het, toegeskryf kan word aan 'n gebrek aan kennis, raad en emosionele ondersteuning voor, gedurende en na hulle swangerskappe. Ouers, metgeselle, portuurgroepe, gesondheidspersoneel, onderwysers, kerkleiers en gemeenskappe het in gebreke gebly om hulle met kennis en vaardighede te bemagtig om swangerskappe te voorkom of moederskap te vergemaklik. Die gebrek aan ondersteuning het 'n impak gehad op die sosiale, kulturele, geestelike, ekonomiese en opvoedkundige dimensies van die tienermoeders. Hierdie gevolge het probleme vir die tienermoeders, hulle gesinne en hulle gemeenskappe veroorsaak wat deur multidissiplinêre benaderings en intersektorale samewerking aangespreek kan word. ,br> (Health SA Gesondheid: interdisciplinary research journal: 2003 8(3): 86-97)