Browsing by Author "Amahdar, Loubna"

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    Common Traditions, Practices, and Beliefs Related to Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health in Morocco
    (MDPI, 2023-03-06) Moujahid, Chaimae; Turman, Jack E., Jr.; Amahdar, Loubna; Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health
    The cultural context influences women's antenatal care and postpartum knowledge. This study aims to determine the traditional practices related to maternal health in Morocco. We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 37 women from three different Moroccan regions on the first postpartum day. We used thematic content to analyze data, and an a priori coding framework was created utilizing the pertinent literature. Beliefs regarding pregnancy and postpartum positively affect maternal health, such as family support, prolonged rest for health recovery, and specific dietary precautions according to the mode of delivery of the new mother. However, some practices may negatively affect maternal health, such as cold postpartum treatment through traditional medicine and not seeking prenatal care after the first pregnancy experience. Such practices include painting newborns with henna, using kohl and oil to hasten the umbilical cord's descent, and producing solutions based on chicken throat to cure respiratory ailments in newborns that might harm their health.
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    The Mosque as a Site to Foster Maternal and Child Health
    (2023) Turman, Jack E.; Wynns, Whitley; Amahdar, Loubna
    Optimizing maternal and child health (MCH) outcomes within any population requires programming within hospital, outpatient clinic, and community settings. Our Grassroots MCH Initiative (GMCHI) focuses on building the capacity of community members and organizations within marginalized communities to create systems change that improves MCH outcomes. The Muslim community within America often feels marginalized because of language and cultural barriers. The first author of this report is committed to serving Muslim communities following his 2016 Fulbright Scholar experience at Hassan 1st University in Settat, Morocco, wherein he worked to grow the nation’s first MPH program. In spring 2022, his collaborator from Hassan 1st (author L.A.) served as a Fulbright Scholar on his GMCHI team. They partnered with a local mosque, which primarily serves West African immigrants, to create programming that fosters improved MCH outcomes. We initiated our efforts by training two women in the mosque with our Grassroots MCH Leadership training curriculum. To help create appropriate programming, we asked the mosque leadership their priorities and we surveyed women in the mosque to understand their needs and interests. We then hosted a MCH fair during Eid al-Fitr that: a) provided connections to local MCH health/social services, and b) distributed essential infant care and home safety supplies. We developed and circulated, across the mosque’s social media platforms, a series of 13 MCH instructional messages in English, French, and Arabic to raise MCH awareness and provide families simple intervention strategies for MCH issues. We are now growing a novel legal clinic within the mosque to address the legal needs of members. Our work is an example of how Fulbright support can foster knowledge and collaborations that improve global MCH.