Abstract
The study was designed to determine the health needs
and health problems of child bearing women in Ayamelum LGA of Anembra State.
The cross-sectional survey research design was used for the study; and the
instrument for data collection was the questionnaire. The population of the
study consisted of child bearing women in Ayamulum LGA. A sample of 632
subjects was selected for the study. The major findings of the study were that:
physical health needs with the grand mean of 2.53 are very much needed among
the child bearing mothers in Ayamelum LGA; emotional health needs of 2.53 are
very much needed among the child bearing mothers in Ayamulum LGA; social health
needs with grand mean 2.17 are slightly needed among he child bearing mothers
in Ayamelum LGA; economic health needs with grand mean of 2.54 are very much
needed among the child bearing mothers in Ayamelum LGA; physical health
problems with grand mean of 2.21 is slightly a problem among the child bearing
mothers in Ayamuelum LGA; emotional health problems with grand mean of 1.6 is
slightly a problem among the child bearing mothers in Ayamelum LGA; social
health problems with grand mean of 2.0 is slightly a problem among the child
bearing mothers in Aymelum LGA; economic health problems with grand mean of
2.54 is a severe problem among the child bearing mothers in Ayamelum LGA; the
null hypothesis which states that there is no significant difference in health
needs of child bearing mothers in Ayamelum LGA according to Age was accepted (c2 = 0.415 > 0.05), and the
null hypothesis which states that there is no significant difference in health
problems of child bearing mothers in Ayamelum LGA according to parity was
accepted (c2 = 0.753 > 0.05). On the
basis of the findings and discussions, it was concluded among other things that
the physical, emotional and economic health needs are very much experienced
among child bearing mothers in Ayamelum LGA and economic health problems are
severely experienced among the child bearing mothers in Ayamelum LGA of Anambra State. Following from the findings and
conclusions relevant recommendations were made.
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Background to the Study
During pregnancy, because of the extra demand made by the foetus on the mother and also due to hormonal influences, the mother is posed with many needs and problems. These needs and problems could be physical, emotional, social or economic in nature (Agular & Galbes, 2004). Nevertheless, there are certain factors, which serve as ingredients for personal health. These factors must be available in appropriate quantity for health to be optimal. Some of these factors are more pressing or are in greater demand at certain periods of human life, notably during pregnancy than at other periods. Therefore when these conditions or factors are absent or deficient, health needs and health problems arise because health is threatened (Adi, 1979).
Levenstein (1975) affirmed that health needs refer to all the measures adopted to safeguard and restore health, which include medical care, safety, nutrition, emergency care, exercises, rest and sleep, cleanliness and keeping of health records. This definition is considered reasonable because it is comprehensive in terms of the objectives of health needs, which are to safeguard health, prevent ill-health and to restore health when it has failed. Therefore availability of these health needs can counteract the health problems. Werner (1984) supported this claim when he stated that these health needs of people who could be pregnant women as in this present study describe optimal health requirement. Health needs as implied in the present study refers to all the measures adopted to safeguard and restore health. These measures as enumerated by Akhtar (1994) to include medical and dental care, safety, proper nutrition, exercises, rest and sleep, health record keeping, cleanliness (personal and environmental) and emergency care. He stated that failure to provide these measures or health requirements in required quantity could threaten or constitute health problems. These health needs which exist along side the various dimensions of health namely physical, social, emotional and economic aspects can pre-empt a health problem of corresponding nature. Health need therefore defines the gap between optimal health conditions or requirements and health impairment such that when the conditions for health are not satisfied, a health need is created which result in a health problem to a pregnant mother.
The time of pregnancy according to Myles (2006), is the most demanding period in a woman’s life. The demands and needs of this pregnant woman require adequate attention to avoid malformation or deformation, or retardation in foetal growth and development. During pregnancy, because of organogenesis and hormonal influences, the woman is posed with many needs and problems which are physical, emotional, social and economical in nature. According to Bermete and Brown (2001) the health needs of a pregnant women could be physical (needs concerned with the physical requirement such as good nutrition, medical care, personal hygiene, breast care, dental care, proper clothing, exercises, rest and sleep, sexual activity and traveling needs), psychological (emotional care that women need during pregnancy from their partner, other members of the family and the health workers), and socio-economic (spouse support, accessibility of health facilities, availability of good roads and transportation, level of education, economic status, customs and beliefs, availability of qualified and skilled health workers and materials. Explaining further on the physical needs they stated that pregnancy is the most nutrition demanding period of a mother’s life because she needs enough nutrient everyday to support her health, demands from the growing foetus and many hormone induced developmental processes. Supporting this claim, the American Dietetic Association – ADA (2002) stated that a pregnant mother needs extra 300 calories daily; making it a total of 2500 to 2700 calories daily to improve the nutritional level of the women thereby averting medical problems.
