Newborn care practices of mothers in Arab societies: implication for infant welfare

INTRODUCTION: There are at least 22 Arab league states and sections in Northern Africa, southwestern Asia, and Europe that incorporate the vast Middle Eastern culture. The purpose of this study was to identify the cultural variations in newborn care practices, self-management of common illnesses, and their potential impact on infant welfare. METHOD: A qualitative design using a focus group approach with 37 Arab mothers in Jordan was used. RESULTS: Findings revealed strong similarities in terms of beliefs, care practices, and the experience of intergenerational conflict in establishing and maintaining traditional practices among mothers. Potentially harmful practices included restrictive swaddling, rubbing a newborn\u27s body with salt, and encouraging the ingestion of herbs in newborns. DISCUSSION: It is important for nurses and midwives to be aware of traditional practices, cultural beliefs, and the implications for infant welfare if they are to effectively engage with families to promote the well-being of the newborn

Traditional methods for managing illness in newborns and infants in an Arab society

Aim: This study explored self‐management practices in relation to traditional methods for managing illness in newborns and infants and the implications of these practices on infant health. Background: Self‐medication with folk remedies is believed to have short‐ and long‐term impacts on well‐being. Little is known about how mothers in Arab societies used their traditional beliefs and practices in self‐managing their newborns’ and infants’ health. Methods: Data were collected from five focus groups using open‐ended questions with 37 mothers. Participants were selected using snowball sampling and were recruited from four different cities in Jordan between June 2016 and August 2016. Ethical approval: All identifying information regarding the study participants has been omitted, and this study was approved by the Academic Research Committee at the University of Jordan. Findings: Mothers were more willing to try herbal remedies, traditional massage and certain foods to self‐manage their infants’ health. Folk remedies were not restricted to traditions handed down through generations, but included a representation of newly emerged trends towards ‘safety’ or ‘nature’. Conclusions: While the use of folk remedies have been handed down generations as customs, today, virtual support groups and social media provide modern resources for folk remedies’ promotion in care and self‐management. Implications for nursing and health policy: Nursing and health policymakers can use our findings for planning and developing strategies and health policies that increase public awareness about adverse health effects associated with herbal remedies. Such strategies are likely to be facilitated through partnerships between nursing and midwifery education institutions, antenatal clinics and social media in the region

The prevalence of depression in pediatric oncology patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment in Jordan

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of depression in pediatric oncology patients in Jordan, comparing them with peers who suffered from chronic conditions or were healthy. The authors investigated 58 children with cancer, 56 with chronic illnesses, and 64 healthy controls using the Arabic version of the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). There was no significant difference in CDI scores between children with cancer, children with chronic illnesses, and healthy controls. Using the conventional cutoff point of a score of 20 gives a prevalence of 20.68% for child-reported depression in the cancer group. This is toward the high end of the range for similar studies in other countries. The results suggest that children with cancer undergoing chemotherapy are no more likely to be depressed than children with chronic illnesses or healthy controls, although further research is warranted. © 2012 by Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses