Journal article
Beliefs on the causes of birth defects as perceived by mothers of children with birth defects in a tertiary care hospital in the Philippines
Journal of community genetics, Vol.13(2), pp.183-191
01/07/2022
DOI: 10.1007/s12687-021-00543-2
PMCID: PMC8941034
PMID: 34993741
Abstract
There are several ethnolinguistic groups or ethnicities in the Philippines, and genetic counselors may encounter clients with diverse beliefs, inscribed by their culture, about health conditions. Thus, clients may attribute the cause of a birth defect to a socio-culturally based health belief. The present study aimed to explore the beliefs on the causes of birth defects held by mothers of children diagnosed to have birth defects. The study was conducted as a qualitative descriptive pilot study in Baguio General Hospital and Medical Health Center (BGHMC), a birth defect surveillance site tertiary care hospital in the Philippines. Participants were mothers of children diagnosed to have birth defects at the BGHMC. In-depth interviews were used to collect data from 18 participants aged 18-46 years. Birth defect conditions of the participants' children included congenital heart defect, cleft lip and palate, hydrocephalus, imperforate anus, hypospadias, and microcephaly. When the participants were asked about their views on the causes of birth defects in their children, they perceived that genetics or heredity, stress, a fall during pregnancy, maternal sickness, teenage pregnancy, thin uterine lining, twin-twin transfusion syndrome, and God's will have caused it. Findings also showed that mothers of children with the birth defect have both biomedically and socio-culturally based health beliefs. Awareness of these health belief systems will help the genetic counselor provide appropriate genetics education and psychosocial support to their clients.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Beliefs on the causes of birth defects as perceived by mothers of children with birth defects in a tertiary care hospital in the Philippines
- Creators
- Eva Belingon Felipe-Dimog - Univ Philippines, Manila Coll Med, Pedro Gil St,Taft Ave, Manila 1000, Metro Manila, PhilippinesMa-Am Joy Realce Tumulak - Univ Philippines, Manila Coll Med, Pedro Gil St,Taft Ave, Manila 1000, Metro Manila, PhilippinesMercy Ygona Laurino - Univ Philippines, Manila Coll Med, Pedro Gil St,Taft Ave, Manila 1000, Metro Manila, PhilippinesSandra Daack-Hirsch - University of IowaCatherine Lynn Tipton Silao - Univ Philippines, Manila Coll Med, Pedro Gil St,Taft Ave, Manila 1000, Metro Manila, PhilippinesMa Cecilia Gastardo Conaco - Univ Philippines Diliman, Dept Psychol, Quezon City, PhilippinesCarmencita David Padilla - Univ Philippines, Manila Coll Med, Pedro Gil St,Taft Ave, Manila 1000, Metro Manila, PhilippinesLeonardo Rabena Estacio Jr - Univ Philippines Manila, Coll Arts & Sci, Rizal Hall & Gusaling Andres Bonifacio, Manila 1000, Metro Manila, Philippines
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of community genetics, Vol.13(2), pp.183-191
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- DOI
- 10.1007/s12687-021-00543-2
- PMID
- 34993741
- PMCID
- PMC8941034
- ISSN
- 1868-310X
- eISSN
- 1868-6001
- Number of pages
- 9
- Grant note
- Department of Science and Technology-Accelerated Science and Technology Human Resource Development Program (DOST-ASTHRDP) scholarship grant, a national scholarship research grant in the Philippines
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 01/07/2022
- Academic Unit
- Nursing; Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center; Public Policy Center (Archive)
- Record Identifier
- 9984283714602771
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