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Visualizing participant experiences in maternal and child nutrition studies using timeline mapping
Deepa Sankaran1, Priyanshu Sharma2, Lisa Lazarus1
1Department of Community Health Sciences, Centre for Global Public Health, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E0T6, Canada.
Gates Open Research
|July 24, 2020
Summary
Timeline maps offer a visual approach to understanding pregnant women's challenges with iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation in India. This tool aids program implementers in identifying intervention areas for improving IFA uptake and maternal health.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Maternal Health
- Health Behavior Research
Background:
- Anemia in pregnancy is a significant global health issue, particularly in India.
- Low iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation uptake in pregnant women, especially in Uttar Pradesh, India, necessitates improved understanding of contributing factors.
- Existing research on IFA adherence challenges lacks synthesized visual tools for program implementers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the utility of timeline maps as a visual qualitative tool for understanding pregnant women's health behaviors related to antenatal care (ANC) and IFA consumption.
- To assess the experiences of research assistants (RAs) using timeline maps in documenting critical ANC and IFA-related events.
- To identify potential challenges and areas for improvement in using timeline maps for program implementation.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of timeline maps as a visual tool to chronologically document ANC services, health system contact points, and IFA distribution, consumption, and counseling.
- Training of six research assistants (RAs) on the timeline map methodology.
- Focus group discussion with RAs to gather insights on their experiences using the tool.
Main Results:
- RAs found timeline maps easy to use, facilitating in-depth participant engagement and co-creation of visual narratives.
- The visual nature of timeline maps enhanced participants' recall of pregnancy events and promoted reflexivity.
- Challenges included potential difficulties in recalling past events and information misrepresentation, indicating a need for refined training.
Conclusions:
- Timeline maps demonstrate potential as an effective visual tool for qualitative data collection on maternal health behaviors, particularly IFA adherence.
- The tool facilitates a deeper understanding of critical events and participant experiences within ANC services.
- Further exploration and refinement of training processes are recommended for broader application of timeline maps in program contexts.
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