Thesis (MCur)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Research indicates that human touch plays an integral role in an infant’s ability to thrive
and grow, with a correlation existing between tactile stimulation and optimal physical,
emotional, cognitive, and social development. The aim of this study was to explore the
level of knowledge of first time mothers attending Mowbray Maternity Hospital (MMH)
regarding the importance of tactile stimulation during infancy and early childhood.
A descriptive, non-experimental, research design was employed, using a pilot tested
structured questionnaire for data collection during face-to-face interviews conducted by
the Principal Investigator. Questions were divided into four domains: knowledge about
the impact of tactile stimulation on the bonding domain, the emotional domain, physical
domain and the social domain of infants and children. The inclusion of one open-ended
question allowed participants to suggest recommendations for improved knowledge
and care. A sample of 41 participants, constituting 40% of the study population (N=101)
was randomly selected from MMH. Prior ethical approval was obtained from the
Human Research Ethics Committee of Stellenbosch University, and operational
approval from the Western Cape Department of Health, and the Research Committee
and Senior Management of MMH. Written informed consent was obtained from the
study participants.
The quantitative data was analysed using Statistica (Version 10) with the assistance of
a statistician. The qualitative data yielded from the one open-ended question was
analysed thematically and then quantified.
The findings show that 90% (n=37) of the participants were knowledgeable about
tactile stimulation strategies, 81% (n=33) knew about the impact of tactile stimulation
on the bonding domain, 75% (n=31) on the emotional domain, 52% (n=21) on the
physical domain and 43% (n=18) on the social domain. Although all participants had
reported for out-patient antenatal care on four and more occasions, 73% (n=30)
indicated that they had improved their knowledge regarding pregnancy, labour, birth,
and parenting by reading magazines, 20% (n=8) reported that a health care worker had
spoken to them about the benefits of tactile stimulation, and 15% (n=6) had received
literature on the benefits of tactile stimulation. The open-ended question generated several findings which included suggestions to enhance healthcare by providing
information and training about tactile stimulation and perinatal matters when attending
antenatal clinic; by offering assistance with infant feeding during the postnatal period;
and by improving the attitude and professional stance of health care workers.
The study findings suggest that first time mothers at MMH are not adequately
knowledgeable about the importance of tactile stimulation during infancy and early
childhood. Grounded in the empirical findings and based on the suggestions offered by
the participants, several recommendations, including improved information and
training, were identified toward strengthening tactile stimulation knowledge and practice
at both the parental and health care provider levels. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Studies toon dat menslike aanraking ‘n belangrike rol in ‘n baba se algemene
vermoëns om te groei speel, terwyl ‘n positiewe korrelasie tussen koestering en
optimale fisiese, emosionele, kognitiewe en sosiale ontwikkeling bestaan. Die doel van
hierdie studie was om vas te stel of moeders, wat vir die eerste keer geboorte geskenk
het, en geskeduleer was om by Mowbray Kraamhospitaal geboorte te skenk, ingelig
was aangaande die belangrikheid van streling tydens babaskap en die vroeë
kinderjare.
‘n Beskrywende, nie-eksperimentele navorsingstudie is uitgevoer, deur van ‘n
gestruktureerde, onderhoudsvraelys vir die insameling van data gebruik te maak. Vrae
was opverdeeld in die volgende seksies: kennis rakende die impak van babastreling op
die band tussen moeder en baba, kennis rakende die impak op die emosienele
dimensie, en kennis rakende die impak van babastreling op die fisiese en sosiale
dimensies van babas en kinders. Die ewekansige gekose studie-groep van een-enveertig
deelneemers het 40% van die studie-populasie uitgemaak. Voorafgaande
etiese en operationele toestemming is vanaf die Menslike Etiese Kommittee van die
Universiteit van Stellenbosch, die Wes-Kaapse Departement van Gesondheid en vanaf
die Navorsings kommittee en Bestuur van Mowbray Kraamhospitaal verkry. Geskrewe
toestemming is voor aanvang van die een-tot-een onderhoude vanaf die deelneners
verkry.
Die kwantitiewe data is met die hulp van ‘n statistikus deur die gebruik van die
sagteware, Statistica (Weergawe10) geanaliseer. Die kwalitiewe data wat na
aanleiding van die oop-eindigende vraag verkry is, is tematies geanaliseer en
gekwantifiseer.
Die resultate het getoon dat meeste 90% (n=37) van die deelnemers met die algemene
praktyke van babastrelingstrategië gedurende babaskap bekend was. Die persentasie
vir deelnemers se kennis rakende die impak van babastreling op die band tussen
moeder en baba was 81% (n=33), en vir kennis omtrent die emosienele dimensie 75%
(n=31), die impak van babastreling op die fisiese 52% (n=21) en die sosiale 43%
(n=18) dimensies van babas en kinders. Alhoewel alle deelneemers vir voorgeboorte
kliniek gerapporteer het, het 73% (n=30), terugvoer dat hulle hulle kennis omtrent swangerskap, geboorte en ouerskap verbreed het deur tydskrifte te lees, 20% (n=8)
van die deelnemers gerapporteer het dat ‘n gesondheidswerker met hulle omtrent die
voordele van babastreling gepraat het, terwyl 15% (n=6) leesmaterial rakende die
voordele van babstreling ontvang het. Die oop-eindigende vraag het verskeie
bevindings opgelewer met voorstelle met betrekking tot die verbetering van
gesondheidsorg en opleiding, opleiding aangaande die voorgeboortelike sorg wat hulle
ontvang het en aangaande perinatale aangeleenthede en stimulasie van babas deur
streling. Deelneemers het ook voorgestel dat verpleegsters hulp aan moeders behoort
te verleen met die voeding van hul babas in die periode na geboorte en dat
gesondheidsorgwerkers hulle professionaliteit en gesindhede jeens pasiënte behoort te
verbeter.
Ten slotte het die uitkomste van hierdie studie aangedui dat, moeders wat vir die
eerste keer geboorte geskenk het by Mowbray Kraamhospitaal, onvoldoende kennis
dra oor die belangrikheid van stimulasie van hulle babas en jong kinders deur streling.
Gegrond in die empiriese bevindings en gebaseer op die voorstelle van deelnemers, is
verskeie aanbevelings geïdentifiseer vir die moontlike verbetering van kennis rakende
streling op die ouer- en gesondheidswerkervlakke.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/20251 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Petersen, Melvina L. |
| Contributors | Marais, Frederick, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences. Nursing Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 128 p. : ill. |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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