Experiences and Coping Strategies of School Going Breastfeeding Adolescents from Katima-Mulilo and Sesheke Secondary Schools in Sesheke district, Western Province of Zambia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26911/thejmch.2023.08.03.12Abstract
Background: The re-entry policy was introduced in Zambia in 1997 to allow pregnant girls to continue their education. However, the increase in dropout rates among re-entered adolescents has become a significant concern in schools, so it is necessary to explore and understand the lived experiences of school-going breastfeeding adolescents. The re-entry policy needs to be revised to protect the school-going breastfeeding adolescent (SGBA) from the challenges related to mothering while schooling. The study aimed to explore the experiences and coping strategies of SGBA in Secondary Schools of Western Province in Zambia.
Subjects and Method: The study employed a descriptive phenomenology design the research sample comprised sixteen (16) participants. Fourteen (14) girls re-entered after maternity leave. Nine (9) from Sesheke and five from Katima-Mulilo secondary schools, including two (2) guidance teachers, one (1) from each school. A purposive sampling technique without maximum variation was used. Data generation was through in-depth, semi-structured interview guides and which were audio recorded. In addition, the data underwent manual and Microsoft word coding accompanied by Nvivo version 11 and thematic analysis.
Results: The findings revealed that breastfeeding school-going breastfeeding adolescents experienced many challenges in pursuing and completing their school. The challenges ranged from combining roles of schooling and mothering, financial challenges, stigma and discrimination, poor academic performance and lack of breastfeeding space within school premises, including minimal and lack of support from peers and school authority.
Conclusion: The data shows the numerous challenges faced by breastfeeding adolescents. Therefore, the Ministry of Education, schools, parents and other stakeholders should review and amend the re-entry policy to enable it to respond to girls’ needs to improve their stay in school and performance.
Keywords: Coping Strategies, Breastfeeding, Adolescents, Experiences, School-going.
Correspondence: Mooto Mutakatala, Department of Midwifery Women and Child Health, Faculty of Midwifery, University of Zambia, Lusaka, School of Nursing Sciences P O BOX 50110. Email: mootomutakatala@gmail.com. Mobile:+26 0977502912.
References
Bityutskaya EV, Korneev AA (2021). Subjective appraisal and orientations in difficult life situations as predictors of coping strategies. Psychol Russ. 4(3): 180-199. doi: 10.11621/pir.2021.03.12.
Chumbler NR, Ganashen S, Cherry CO, Wright DG, Bute JJ (2016). Rewriting life narratives: positive coping mechanismsin adolescent mothers” special social groups, social factors and disparities in health and health care. Research in Sociology of Health Care. 34: Bingley: Emerald. 199–224. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1108/S0275495920160000034011.
Erfina E, Widyawati W, McKenna L, Reisenhofer S, Ismail D (2019). Adolescent mothers’ experiences of the transition to motherhood: An integrative review. Int J Nurs Sci. 6(2): 221-228. doi: 10.1016/j.ijnss.2019.03.013.
Etuah PA, Gbagbo FY, Nkrumah J (2018). Coping with pregnancy in academic environment: experiences of pregnant students in a public university in Ghana. Journal of Woman’s Reproductive Health. 2(2):1. doi: 10.14302/issn.2381862X.jwrh182090.
Gyan C (2013). The effects of teenage pregnancy on the educational attainment of girls at Chorkor, a suburb of Accra Journal of Educational and Social Research. 3(3): 53.doi:10.36941/jesr.
Heiman T (2004). Examination of the salutogenic model, support resources, coping style, and stressors among Israeli university students. J Psychol. 138(6): 505–520. doi: 10.3200/JRLP.138.6.505-520.
Karimi EW (2015). Challenges experienced by young-mother learners upon re-entry to formal primary school. A case in one of the divisions of coastal region. Thesis. University of OSLO.
Kassa GM, Arowojolu AO, Odukogbe AA, Yale AW (2018). Prevalence and determinants of adolescent pregnancy in Africa: a systematic review and Meta-analysis. Reprod Health. 15(1): 195. doi:1186/s1297801806402.
Kaye DK (2008). Negotiating the transition from adolescence to motherhood: Coping with prenatal and parenting stress in teenage mothers in Mulago hospital, Uganda. BMC public health. 8(1): 83. doi:10.1186/14712458883.
Gyesaw NY, Ankomah A (2013). Experiences of pregnancy and motherhood among teenage mothers in a suburb of Accra, Ghana: a qualitative study. Int J Womens Health. 5(1): 773-80. doi: 10.2147/IJWH.S51528.
Labrague LJ, McEnroe-Petitte DM, Gloe D, Thomas LV, Tsaras PK (2017). A literature review on stress and coping strategies in nursing students. Journal of Mental Health. 26(5): 471–480. doi:10.1080/09638237.2016.12447
Maluwa-Banda D (2004). Gender sensitive educational policy and practice: the case of Malawi. Prospects. 34(1): 71–84.doi:10.1023/B:PROS.000002668. 92752.3b.
Mangino JG (2008). Voices of teen mothers: Their challenges, support systems, and successes. Doctoral Dissertation, University of Pittsburgh.
Micah DJ, Joy LC, Chris LA, Halimat O (2013). Pregnancy stigmatization and coping strategies of adolescent kid mothers in Lagos. African Journal of Bioscience. 6(2): 1–15.
Ministry of Education Science Vocational Training and Early Education (2014). Zambia: Education For All 2015 National Review: 44. Lusaka Zambia.
Ministry of Health (2015). National breastfeeding policy and action plan 2015 - 2020. Lusaka Zambia.
Mpetshwa N (2001). An exploratory study of the experiences of black teenage mothers. Thesis Rhodes University, East London.
Mufalo SM, Kabeta MR (2019). Challenges of school re-entry among learner-mothers and mitigation strategies instituted by stakeholders in schools in Masaiti District. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education (IJHSSE). 6(9): 73–82. doi:10.20431/2349-0381.060908.
Mukwato PK, Maimbolwa M, Mwape L, Muleya MC (2017). Experiences, needs and coping strategies of pregnant and parenting teenagers: A perspective from Lusaka and North Western Provinces of Zambia. Journal of Research Development in Nursing and Midwifery. 6(4): 056-067. doi: 10.14303/JRNM.2017.110.
Mwansa A (2011). Re-entry to school after giving birth: An evaluation of the process used to design and implement policy in Zambia. CREATE pathways to Access Series, Research Monograph Number 70. Pp 44. Centre for International Education, Sussex, Falmer, UK. ISBN: 0-901881-83-X.
Mwanza MN (2018). Factors that influence the use of the education re-entry policy for adolescent mothers in Monze, Zambia. Governance and Development Policy (GDP). Thesis Hague, Netherlands.
Mweemba G M (2014) Challenges faced by teen mothers who re-entered School: A case of selected Schools on the Copper belt Province of Zambia. Thesis. University of Zambia.
Ntinda K, Thwala SK, Dlamini TP (2016). Lived experiences of school-going early mothers in Swaziland. Journal of Psychology in Africa. 26(6): 546–550. doi:10.11114/JETS.V314.902.
Ojo IO, Aina OA, Ani OB, Onianwa PO (2020). The challenges and coping strategies of exclusive breastfeeding practices among student mothers at a Nigerian university. African Journal of Midwifery and Women’s Health. 14(2): 1-9. doi:10.12968/ajmw.-2019.0016.
Pigaiani Y, Zoccante L, Zocca A, Arzenton A, Mengolli M, Fadel S, Ruggeri M et al. (2020). Adolescent lifestyle behaviors, coping strategies and subjective wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic: an online student survey. Healthcare (Basel, Swizerland). 8(4): 472.doi:10. 3390/healthcare8040472.
Pogoy AM (2014). Lived experiences of early pregnancy among teenagers: a phenomenological study. European Scientific Journal. 10(2).
Raheel H (2014). Coping strategies for stress used by adolescent girls in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Pakistan journal of medical sciences. 30(5): 958.doi:10.12669/pjms.305.5014.
Raqib S (2018). Zambia Should Keep Young
Mothers in School. Lusaka. Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2018/08/06/zambia-should-keep-young-mothers-school (Accessed: 8 March 2023).
Sitali NM (2011). The effectiveness of the Re-Entry Policy in selected high schools of Kabwe district. Thesis. University of Zambia.
Stapley E, Stock S, Deighton J, Demkowicz O (2023). A qualitative study of how adolescents’ use of coping strategies and support varies in line with their experiences of adversity. Child Youth Care Forum 52: 177–203. doi: 10.1007/s10566022096820.
UNICEF (2016). A survey on factors associated with school-going breastfeeding Adolescents. Lusaka. Available at:www.unicef.org/reports/breastfeeding. Accessed 30.03.2023.
