Promoting sustainable health and wellbeing for pregnant adolescents in Uganda – A qualitative case study among health workers

Abstract

Background: Adolescent pregnancy is a global health problem. In Uganda, the rate of teenage pregnancies is approximately 25% and these are associated with both poor maternal- and perinatal health outcome. Objective: This qualitative case study aimed to examine health workers’ experiences of promoting sustainable health and well-being for pregnant adolescent girls in Uganda. Method: A qualitative study design was used. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews of four health workers working for a Non-Government Organization (NGO) based in Uganda. Data was inductively analyzed by content analysis. Result: Three categories emerged: social structure, organization’s work – rehabilitation and therapy, and outcome. Healthcare workers worked with health promotion using a person-centered approach, emphasizing therapies and empowerment strategies and an overall faith-based approach. Furthermore, the result showed that girls were abandoned by their families when entering the center, but with help from the NGO they increased their understanding of the girls situation, due to resettlement of plan and follow up made by the health workers. Conclusion: Health workers can promote health and well-being among pregnant adolescent by applying person-centered care, including therapies and empowerment strategies by a faith-based approach. Social structures and families should be encouraged to provide support to pregnant adolescent girls.

Keywords

• Adolescent
• Pregnancy
• Health workers
• Empowerment
• NGO
• Uganda