Challenges and opportunities in mixed method data collection on mental health issues of health care workers during COVID-19 pandemic in India

Background: The present paper describes the key challenges and opportunities of mixed method telephonic data collection for mental health research using field notes and the experiences of the investigators in a multicenter study in ten sites of India. The study was conducted in public and private hospitals to understand the mental health status, social stigma and coping strategies of different healthcare personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic in India.Methods: Qualitative and quantitative interviews were conducted telephonically. The experiences of data collection were noted as a field notes/diary by the data collectors and principal investigators.Results: The interviewers reported challenges such as network issues, lack of transfer of visual cues and sensitive content of data. Although the telephonic interviews present various challenges in mixed method data collection, it can be used as an alternative to face-to-face data collection using available technology.Conclusions: It is important that the investigators are well trained keeping these challenges in mind so that their capacity is built to deal with these challenges and good quality data is obtained

Barriers in exclusive breastfeeding encountered by mothers in urban slum area of a metropolitan city

Background: Breastfeeding is considered the most important source of nutrients for the baby. But owing to ignorance, lack of education, and cultural norms, exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) is not done by majority of the mothers. Hence, this study is carried out to determine various barriers faced by the mothers that influenced their decision on EBF. Methods: A descriptive qualitative study was conducted among the mothers whose children were less than 1 year of age visiting a well-baby clinic and Immunisation OPD of Urban Health Centre catering to the Urban Slum of Malvani in the Metropolitan city of Mumbai. In-depth interviews (IDIs) were done with 17 participants from August to November 2022. Thematic analysis was conducted on the qualitative data obtained. Results: Four major themes were generated from the transcripts. They are –barriers and concerns faced by mothers to exclusively breastfeed, enablers/motivators, sources of knowledge regarding EBF, and breastfeeding practices. Various barriers faced by mothers were gaps in knowledge, maternal Illness, religious reasons, inadequate milk production, bias toward top feeds, lack of autonomy to take decisions, and cultural norms, while positive family support, good knowledge about breastfeeding, and a supportive home environment motivated mothers to exclusively breastfeed their infants. Sources of knowledge were identified to be doctors and health care workers, mothers/mothers-in-law, sisters, friends, and social media. Conclusions: There are various challenges as well as motivators identified for EBF. Barriers, such as gaps in knowledge, and the negative influence of social media can be improved upon by health education. Therefore, it is crucial to teach expectant mothers as well as families about breastfeeding. Additionally, we advise stepping up public health education initiatives to support breastfeeding

Psychosocial health and stigma among health-care workers involved in COVID19 management during the first wave of the pandemic in Mumbai: A qualitative study

Background: The unprecedented onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) had a huge impact on health-care facilities, leading to different psychosocial challenges among health-care workers (HCWs) during this pandemic. Aim: This study aimed to explore the impact of COVID-19 on the work, family, and personal life of HCWs engaged in COVID-19 duties during the first wave in India and gain insights on the coping strategies. Materials and Methods: The findings from 12 qualitative in-depth interviews were analyzed and presented in this article. This study is a part of a mix-method design study conducted at two hospitals and one community site in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The present qualitative sample was drawn conveniently from the randomly selected quantitative sample chosen from the three sites. Results: This study highlights that in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic, HCWs experienced transition in work life, burnout, disruption in family life, negative emotions such as fear, and experiences of stigma. The findings also reveal that while institutional workers faced discrimination and stigma outside their workplace, noninstitutional workers faced discrimination at multiple sites during traveling and at in their residential places and additionally faced harassment while working in the community. The findings also suggest that despite numerous challenges faced by HCWs, they were driven by a sense of responsibility and displayed resilience. Conclusion: Considering the HCWs as the backbone of the health-care system, it is crucial to boost and maintain the mental well-being of HCWs by providing timely and tailored interventions to sustain their resilience and build better responses to future pandemic