Healthcare Providers' Utilization of Nonpharmacological Methods in Managing Labor Pain: An Integrative Review

The management of labor pain is a critical aspect of maternal care, with implications for the well-being of both the mother and the newborn. Nonpharmacological pain management (NPPM) offers a safe and more accessible option to labor pain management in African healthcare settings.

This review aims to determine the facilitators of and barriers to using NPPM during labor among healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Africa.

This integrative review was done using articles that focused on NPPM and published between 2013 and 2023. Databases searched include PubMed, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and EMBASE. Content analysis was done independently by two reviewers using inductive coding to generate categories.

Three main themes emerged: Perceived barriers to the utilization of NPPM among HCPs, categories that emerged under this theme include lack of training, resource limitation, lack of priority, cultural norms and beliefs, and lack of awareness. The second theme is potential facilitators to the utilization of NPPM among HCP, the categories generated include healthcare provider' knowledge, positive attitude of healthcare providers, family support, infrastructure/working environment, experiences of HCPs, and client preferences. The third theme that emerged is the most utilized methods of NPPM among HCPs, with back massage and psychological support being the most used, whereas music and exercise were the least NPPM methods used by HCPs.

The findings from this study show that the attitudes and knowledge of HCPs about NPPM can either be a facilitator or a barrier in its utilization. In the clinical setting, HCPs need to be sensitized on the benefits of using these methods of pain management during labor to encourage use. Interventions designed based on the findings from this study can promote a more holistic approach to labor pain management in African healthcare settings.