Significance of Home Visiting in Providing Care to Filipino Mothers and Their Infants During the Postpartum Period.

Abstract

Home visiting is recommended for mothers and young infants during the first week of life to provide needed support. This study describes the significance of home visiting in providing care to Filipino mothers and their infants during the postpartum period. Using a descriptive qualitative design, individual interviews were conducted with 10 mothers, four registered nurses, and five barangay health workers involved in home visits. Data analysis was guided by the four phases of Leininger's ethnonursing method. Three themes emerged: (1) home visiting provides accessible, affordable, and meaningful interventions; (2) home visiting allows for contextual understanding of mothers' behaviors and realistic planning of care; and (3) barangay health workers promote mothers' engagement in care. Home visits enable negotiation of differences between generic and professional care practices, thus enhancing professional collaboration with families and community workers, potentiating culturally congruent participation and empowerment of clients in their care.