Health Care Providers' Perceptions of Maternal Health Concerns in the Solomon Islands.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to explore the maternal health risk factors and sentinel events among women in the Solomon Islands, from the viewpoints of health care providers in the Solomon Islands.


METHODS
Three focus group interviews were conducted in July and August 2011 at a secondary referral hospital in an urban area. The study consisted of 10 registered nurses and 11 skilled birth assistants. Thematic analysis was used for this qualitative data analysis.


RESULTS
Six major themes were emerged from the data: (a) environmental hazard: malaria, (b) malnutrition: iron deficiency anemia, (c) adolescent pregnancy, (d) betel nut chewing, (e) cultural beliefs influencing women's health, and (f) difficulty accessing health care services.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study provide a useful first step toward identifying specific maternal health risks among women in the Solomon Islands. The findings may assist the health sector and midwives/antenatal educators to better understand the health risks and reduce the disease burden among pregnant women in South Pacific countries. The results may also contribute to the development of policies to improve maternal health and to accelerate progress toward the fifth target goal of UNICEF's Millennium Development Goals.
Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, ROC.
Yung-Mei
YM
Yang
Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, ROC.
Shih-Huai
SH
Hsiao
Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, ROC fanhao@kmu.edu.tw.
Fan-Hao
FH
Chou
National Referral Hospital, Honiara, Solomon Islands.
Levi
L
Hou
Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, ROC.
Shu-Li
SL
Lee
Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan, ROC.
Yu-Hua
YH
Lin
D000293:Adolescent; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008542:Melanesia; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000451:nursing / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D016746:Transcultural Nursing
Melanesian women; Solomon Islands; maternal health; thematic analysis