Abstract
Social support is commonly associated with women's postpartum health. Yet such support can also have unintended effects and trigger negative reactions. This study provides a qualitative examination of the positive and negative social interactions described by Arab postpartum women. Participants were Arab women recruited at Mother and Child Healthcare Clinics (MCHC). Inclusion criteria were married women over the age of 18 with a healthy newborn who described both positive and negative social experiences. Exclusion criteria were signs of postpartum depression. Data were gathered using semi-structured in-depth interviews that were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Themes and categories were extracted based on interpretative phenomenological analysis. The impact of lived experiences on the well-being of postpartum women was explored. Data analysis revealed three main themes: (1) Support from the family and community: positive impact on the mother; (2) Negative social interactions as invasion of mother's personal space; (3) Impact of negative social interactions on mother's relationship with her family. A deeper understanding of the social environment of these women and the factors that affect their well-being during the critical postpartum period can help MCHC staff offer culturally appropriate support and relevant interventions.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | e3985-e3994 |
Journal | Health and Social Care in the Community |
Volume | 30 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Nov 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Keywords
- Arabs
- cultural customs
- negative social interactions
- postpartum
- social support
- well-being
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Sociology and Political Science
- Health Policy
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health