title: Assessment of the needs of mothers and primary healthcare providers to support early childhood development in Egypt: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The early childhood period is considered the most important developmental phase in an individual's lifespan. However, it is not addressed in the Egyptian health system. We aimed to explore mothers' and healthcare providers' perceptions about early childhood development (ECD) and identify their needs to support ECD in Egypt.
  
  
  METHODS
  Focus group discussions with 79 mothers of children younger than 2 years old from different socio-economic backgrounds and residing in urban and rural areas and 26 primary healthcare providers were used to collect data. Emerging themes and subthemes were identified from the data analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Urban and rural mothers in Egypt of all educational levels are not well prepared to support their children's early development, especially the cognitive and emotional aspects. Limited sources of information about ECD, the large families of rural women and an absence of developmental health services and family support were the most important factors that led to a neglect of mother-child communication and stimulation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Raising community awareness and training primary healthcare providers to counsel mothers about ECD are important prerequisites for supporting ECD in Egypt. Rural and first-time mothers would be the most valuable starting point.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Elgibaly
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Community Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Aziz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008425:Maternal Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D009034:Mother-Child Relations / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D009035:Mothers / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D016487:Parenting / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012424:Rural Population; D012944:Social Support; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Egypt; child stimulation; early childhood development; primary health care