Factors that affect the adoption and maintenance of weekly vitamin A supplementation among women in Ghana.
Abstract
Objective: To identify regimen, individual, community and cultural factors that affect adoption and adherence to weekly vitamin A supplementation in Ghana. Design: Fifty semi-structured interviews were conducted with women who would be eligible for vitamin A supplementation, 30 with husbands, and 13 with drug sellers, birth attendants and health workers. Six focus group discussions were also conducted with women. These interviews were followed by a 4-month capsule trial with 60 women. Data from a previously conducted communication channel survey of 332 women were also reviewed. Setting: The study was conducted in Kintampo District in central Ghana. Subjects: Participants for the semi-structured interviews and focus groups were selected from four villages and the district capital, and women in the capsule trial were selected at random from two villages. Results: Knowledge of vitamins was low and taking 鈥榤edicines鈥� for long periods and when healthy is a new concept. In spite of this, long-term supplementation will be accepted if motives are explained, specific questions answered and clear instructions are given. Potential barriers included the idea of 鈥榙octor鈥� medicines as curative, false expectations of the supplement, forgetting to take the supplement, losing the supplement, travelling, lack of motivation, perceived side-effects, concerns that the supplement is really family planning or will make delivery difficult, and concerns about taking the supplement with other 鈥榙octor鈥� or herbal medicine, or when pregnant or breast-feeding, or if childless. Conclusion: Successful supplementation programmes require appropriately designed information, education and communication strategies. Designing such strategies requires pre-programme formative research to uncover barriers and facilitators for supplementation.
Citation
Public Health Nutrition (2007) 10 (8), pp. 827-833 [doi:10.1017/S1368980007382554].