Browsing by Author "Horwood, Christiane"

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    Exploring women’s exposure to marketing of commercial formula products: A qualitative marketing study from two sites in South Africa
    (Taylor and Francis Group, 2022) Pereira-Kotze, Catherine; Horwood, Christiane; Haskins, Lyn
    Regulating the marketing of commercial formula products is a long-term commitment required to protect breastfeeding. Marketing strategies of formula manufacturers, retailers and distributors evolve at a rapid rate. The aim of this research was to describe exposure of pregnant women and mothers of young children in South Africa to marketing of commercial formula products, compared to international recommendations and national legislation.
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    Stemming commercial milk formula marketing: Now is the time for radical transformation to build resilience for breastfeeding
    (Elsevier, 2023) Doherty, Tanya; Horwood, Christiane; Pereira-Kotze, Catherine
    One of the striking messages of the Lancet Breastfeeding Series1–3 is that the consumption of commercial milk formula (CMF) by infants and young children has been normalised. More children are consuming CMF than ever before. 2 Only 48% of the world’s infants and young children are breastfed as recommended,4 despite the huge body of evidence on the lifelong benefits of breastfeeding. This situation reflects the stranglehold the CMF industry has on governments, health professionals, academic institutions, and increasingly on caregivers and families through pervasive social media.
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    Women’s experiences of communication and supportive care during labour: a qualitative study in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2025) Doherty, Tanya; Luthuli, Silondile; Horwood, Christiane
    Background: Quality maternal care is crucial to improve outcomes for both mothers and newborns. Many initiatives to improve maternal care concentrate on improving clinical practice. However, women’s experiences of care are also important determinants of health outcomes. Establishing strong interpersonal relationships between health workers and women is essential for delivering high-quality person-centered care, with health workers who empathize with women, respect their needs and concerns, and communicate effectively. Aligned with the World Health Organization standards of care framework, this study aimed to explore women’s experiences of care during labour and childbirth, focusing on communication, respectful, and supportive care. Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted with postpartum women in rural district hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal. Purposive sampling was used to recruit women from communities within the hospitals’ catchment areas. Data were collected through focus group discussions (FGDs) conducted in the local language of participants. Five FGDs were conducted between January and April 2023. Inductive thematic analysis using NVivo v12 was employed to analyze the data. Findings: A few women described positive experiences of care, but most women reported suboptimal care characterized by poor communication, lack of privacy, and disrespectful treatment. Participants described experiences of verbal and physical abuse, being called demeaning names, facing invasive procedures without providing consent, and inadequate emotional support, such as their concerns being systematically ignored and birth companions being denied entry to labour wards. Some women responded to these challenges through various coping mechanisms including staying quiet to avoid confrontation, following instructions rigidly, seeking advice from other women in the labour ward, and in some cases standing up for themselves. Some women described persistent anger and distress as a result of their experiences. Conclusion: The findings of the study highlight persistent gaps in effective communication and supportive care for women during labour and childbirth. Possible interventions could be aimed at improving communication skills of health workers as well as fostering a culture of empathy and respect for women in their care. In addition, empowering women through antenatal education and implementing birth companion policies could further improve women’s experiences during labour and childbirth.