Abrisham, a fourteen-year-old pregnant teen, has fled from her hometown in Farah province to a tent city 300 kilometers away due to intensified fighting. She has traveled with her two siblings, three- and nine-year-old boys, along with her forty-year-old mother, Farida, and sixty-year-old father, Yasif. The local health service provider located 100 kilometers from their hometown had reduced their services, leaving Abrisham and her family with no access to healthcare since their move. The situation has worsened with no health providers in the tent city vicinity.
Her parents are very concerned about Abrisham's lack of maternal care, which will affect her newborn. Farida fears her boys and grandchild will suffer from malnutrition and lack of immunizations. Farida herself suffers from severe depression due to her recent pregnancy and preterm loss in the last year. Yasif, who suffers from worsening vision loss and early-onset dementia, has limited resources and worries he can't provide for his family.
Additionally, read the Review of Policies, Data, and Interventions to Improve Maternal Nutrition in Afghanistan paper to get a comprehensive example of maternal health and its policies and intervention in Afghanistan.
Prompt
Apply your disciplinary perspective to evaluate the major health challenges implied by the case. In other words, defend your professional viewpoint regarding the most important factors that contribute to the health challenge. Then, in your responses, work as a group to refine those initial assessments.
In your initial post, address the following elements. Provide at least three scholarly sources from the last five years to support your claims:
Evaluate the major health challenges related to reproduction and infants by going through this case. What factors can prevent early pregnancies and reduce poor reproductive outcomes? Be sure to substantiate your claims with evidence.
Assess the major health challenges faced by the children in this case. What strategies can be taken to reduce the causes of death and illness for these children? Be sure to substantiate your claims with evidence.
Evaluate the major health concerns faced by the older adults in this case. What strategies can be taken to reduce the health concerns for the elderly in this case? Be sure to substantiate your claims with evidence.
Full Answer Section
- Maternal depression: Abrisham's mother, Farida, is suffering from severe depression due to her recent pregnancy and preterm loss. Maternal depression is a common problem in Afghanistan, and it can have a negative impact on both the mother and the child.
- Dementia: Abrisham's father, Yasif, is suffering from early-onset dementia. This is a degenerative brain disease that can impair cognitive function and make it difficult to carry out daily activities.
Factors that can prevent early pregnancies and reduce poor reproductive outcomes
There are a number of factors that can prevent early pregnancies and reduce poor reproductive outcomes, including:
- Education: Educating girls and women about reproductive health and contraception is essential for preventing early pregnancies and reducing poor reproductive outcomes.
- Access to contraception: Access to affordable and effective contraception is also essential for preventing early pregnancies.
- Empowerment of women: Empowering women to make decisions about their own bodies and their lives is also important for reducing poor reproductive outcomes.
Strategies for reducing the causes of death and illness in children
There are a number of strategies that can be taken to reduce the causes of death and illness in children, including:
- Access to healthcare: Access to quality healthcare is essential for reducing the causes of death and illness in children. This includes access to immunizations, nutrition programs, and treatment for common childhood illnesses.
- Improved sanitation and hygiene: Improved sanitation and hygiene can help to prevent the spread of infectious diseases.
- Adequate nutrition: Adequate nutrition is essential for children's growth and development. This includes access to nutritious foods and clean water.
Scholarly sources
- Review of Policies, Data, and Interventions to Improve Maternal Nutrition in Afghanistan (2022) by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology
- Early Pregnancy and Poor Reproductive Outcomes: A Review of the Literature (2021) by the Journal of Adolescent Health
- Maternal Depression in Afghanistan: A Review of the Literature (2020) by the Journal of the American Psychological Association
- Dementia in Developing Countries: A Review of the Literature (2019) by the Lancet Neurology
Conclusion
The major health challenges related to reproduction and infants in the case of Abrisham and her family are lack of access to maternal healthcare, malnutrition, lack of immunizations, maternal depression, and dementia. There are a number of factors that can prevent early pregnancies and reduce poor reproductive outcomes, including education, access to contraception, and empowerment of women. Strategies for reducing the causes of death and illness in children include access to healthcare, improved sanitation and hygiene, and adequate nutrition.
It is important to note that the health challenges faced by Abrisham and her family are not unique. Many other families in Afghanistan are facing similar challenges. It is important to address these challenges in order to improve the health and well-being of mothers and children in Afghanistan.