Parenting practices and family relationships during the COVID-19 lockdown in Ghana

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have been far reaching across almost every sphere of life. Families, which are the basic units of society, have not been spared the ravages of the pandemic. Changes in family daily routines as a result of COVID-19 can affect spousal relationships, parenting and childcare practices. However, the extent to which the pandemic has affected parenting practices and family relationships in Ghana is not known. The goal of this study was to assess how parenting practices and family relationships have been influenced during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. Data for this paper was drawn from an online questionnaire response from 463 participants in Ghana as a subset analysis from a multi-country study on personal and family coping system with COVID-19 pandemic in the global south. The mean score for pre-COVID-19 relationship with partner (36.86) was higher (p<0.0001) than the mean score for during COVID-19 relationship with partner (35.32) indicating that COVID-19 has had negative influence on relationships. The mean score for pre-COVID-19 parenting (32.78) was higher (p<0.0001) compared to the mean score for during COVID-19 parenting (31.40) indicating negative influence on parenting. We have predicted that participants whose coping levels were "Well" on the average, are likely to be doing well in relationship with partners and parenting practices during the COVID-19 period The challenging public health containment measures of the COVID-19 pandemic have negatively influenced the relationship between partners and parenting practices in Ghana.

Neonatal mortality in Nepal: a multilevel analysis of a nationally representative

This study investigated individual, community and district level factors associated with neonatal mortality among a national sample of Nepalese women. Data were drawn from the 2006 Nepalese Demographic and Health Survey on women aged 15-49 who delivered within three years prior to the survey [N = 4136]. Multilevel logistic regression models with three levels were fitted to assess the influences of measured individual, community and district level variables on neonatal mortality. The total neonatal mortality in three years preceding the survey was 4.5 deaths per 100 live births [N = 190], with neonatal mortality rate [NMR] = 46 per 1000 live births. Having a partner with no formal education, being in the middle on the wealth index and residing in less developed district were associated with neonatal death in bivariate analysis. Women who were assisted by skilled personnel during delivery were less likely to have neonatal death [adjusted OR for no assistance = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.19-4.26]. Having prenatal care with skilled attendant was associated with less likelihood of neonatal death [adjusted OR for no care = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.17-2.62]. Older women, mother's education, parity and wealth index were associated with neonatal mortality. Considerable variations in neonatal mortality at community and district levels were found. These findings emphasize the need for interventions at the individual level with regard to access and utilization of healthcare in order to reduce the neonatal mortality in Nepal