SORA

Advancing, promoting and sharing knowledge of health through excellence in teaching, clinical practice and research into the prevention and treatment of illness

Community Perceptions of Neonatal Infection in Uganda

Nalubega, P; Ssali, A; Namugumya, R; Davies, HG; Kyohere, M; Sekikubo, M; Cochet, M; Peacock, J; Musoke, P; Seeley, J; et al. Nalubega, P; Ssali, A; Namugumya, R; Davies, HG; Kyohere, M; Sekikubo, M; Cochet, M; Peacock, J; Musoke, P; Seeley, J; Le Doare, K; PROGRESS Study Author Grp, A (2025) Community Perceptions of Neonatal Infection in Uganda. OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES, 11. S206-S211. ISSN 2328-8957 https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae607
SGUL Authors: Le Doare, Kirsty Karampatsas, Konstantinos

[img] PDF Published Version
Available under License Creative Commons Attribution.

Download (380kB)

Abstract

Background We investigated awareness of neonatal infections among a population of pregnant women and other community members in Kampala, Uganda. We explored perceived causes of neonatal infections and perceptions of appropriate treatments. Methods We conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) and in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 97 participants: 25 community leaders who took part in 3 FGDs, 12 pregnant women who took part in IDIs, and 60 pregnant women who took part in 8 FGDs, between November 2019 and October 2020. Data were analyzed thematically. This work formed part of the PROGRESS study, an observational cohort study undertaken in Kampala, Uganda, between November 2018 and April 2021. Results Beliefs about causes, signs, symptoms, and treatment of infants with suspected infections impacted health-seeking behavior. Some illnesses were perceived to be caused by environmental factors while others were believed to have social or behavioral causes, such as the promiscuity of the male partner causing infections or the mother being bewitched. Local herbs and traditional remedies were the most preferred method of treatment and were commonly relied on to address various health issues rather than conventional medicines. Notably, no participant mentioned vaccines as a way of preventing infections. Conclusions Pregnant women and community members’ understanding of the causes and treatment of neonatal illnesses were diverse, including environmental, social–behavioral, and supernatural causes, while both conventional and traditional remedies were perceived as appropriate treatments and sought accordingly. Understanding community perceptions and practices around neonatal infections is key to improving neonatal health interventions and outcomes.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: © The Author(s) 2025. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Keywords: PROGRESS Study Author Group, community, cultural factors, neonatal infection, perception, qualitative research
SGUL Research Institute / Research Centre: Academic Structure > Infection and Immunity Research Institute (INII)
Journal or Publication Title: OPEN FORUM INFECTIOUS DISEASES
ISSN: 2328-8957
Dates:
DateEvent
10 March 2025Published
Publisher License: Creative Commons: Attribution 4.0
Projects:
Project IDFunderFunder ID
RIA2018V-2304European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnershiphttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001713
KLD2019National Institute for Health Researchhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000272
OPP1189053Bill and Melinda Gates Foundationhttp://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000865
Web of Science ID: WOS:001440141200001
URI: https://openaccess.sgul.ac.uk/id/eprint/117311
Publisher's version: https://doi.org/10.1093/ofid/ofae607

Statistics

Item downloaded times since 20 Mar 2025.

Actions (login required)

Edit Item Edit Item