Abstract
Purpose: The first two years of a child’s life have been found to be crucial for optimal growth and development. Support from healthcare professionals is especially important during this period. This study explored the perspectives of parents with children aged 0–2 years and healthcare professionals concerning parental needs and support provided by healthcare professionals. Methods: A qualitative research approach was adopted, which comprised semi-structured interviews with parents (N = 25) and focus group discussions with parents (N = 4) and healthcare professionals (N = 3). The data was analysed using the principles of inductive thematic analysis. Results: Overall, we found that parents preferred support that was tailored to their personal needs and practices. Building a trusting relationship between healthcare professionals and parents was also found to be important. The healthcare professionals recognized many of the parents’ experiences. Some expressed that they felt bound to adhere to professional guidelines, which hindered them to provide customized support. Conclusions: Recommendation for establishing tailored support and trust are self-disclosure by professionals, addressing possible misconceptions openly, and showing interest in someone’s considerations or family and cultural customs. Further research into how professional support for parents can be improved is recommended.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 1966874 |
Pages (from-to) | 1-16 |
Number of pages | 16 |
Journal | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being |
Volume | 16 |
Issue number | 1 |
Early online date | 26 Aug 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work was supported by Fred Foundation. We would like to express our gratitude towards the parents and healthcare professionals who shared their experiences and perspectives with us.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
Keywords
- baby
- early childhood
- health
- health information
- Health promotion
- parent
- qualitative research
- support